Myers saw no way to keep Durant with Warriors
OAKLAND >> In normal circumstances, the Warriors’ pitch to Kevin Durant would be simple.
The Warriors could offer him the most money. After winning two NBA titles in the past three years, the Warriors could offer him the best chance at winning. Durant did not have interest, though, in the Warriors’ five-year, $221 million offer and their championship equity. Instead, Durant teamed up with Kyrie Irving and accepted a fouryear, $164 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets.
Therefore, Myers did not need much time to consider this question. Could the Warriors have done anything differently to convince Durant to stay?
“I don’t think so,” Myers said on Monday at the Warriors’ practice facility.
Granted, Durant’s time with the Warriors did not just entail hoisting NBA championship and Finals MVP trophies. Durant fielded persistent criticism for leaving Oklahoma City as a free agent in 2016 to join a Warriors team that already had established All-Stars in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Although Durant and his teammates produced well enough to win and land more All-Star ap
pearances, all parties occasionally felt a push-pull on to what extent they lean on Durant as opposed to their other All-Stars. Durant and Draymond Green shouted at each other during one game this season, and Green even dared him to leave. The Warriors fielded criticism after Durant injured his right Achilles tendon against Toronto in Game 5 of the NBA Finals after missing the previous nine games with a strained right calf.
Did any of those variables factor into the Durant’s departure? Myers suggested they did not.
“He felt like it was something inside of him and his heart that he wanted to try something different,” Myers said. “There was nothing wrong about it. I’m at peace about it. I hope our fans can be, too. He’s one of the best athletes we’ve ever seen come through our city and certainly this organization.”
That marked the first time Myers saw Durant since the career altering injury.
“I was there more to see him how he’s doing as a human being. We talked all the time in his three years here and talked about a lot of different things,” Myers said. “It wasn’t slamming the door.”
Myers called Durant’s arrival “a blessing” before calling it “a treat” to observe Durant practice and play games wearing a Warriors uniform.
“He was everything we could’ve asked for,” Myers said. “He represented us on the court. He represented us off the court. He still has a great relationship with a lot of his teammates, myself and the coaching staff. He just wanted to try something new.”
RUSSELL NOT ACQUIRED TO BE TRADED >> Even before he signed his new contract with the Warriors, D’Angelo Russell’s days appeared numbered.
The Warriors view next summer as their chance to restock a championship roster with improved financial flexibility. After committing to a four-year, $117 million deal following his first All-Star season in Brooklyn, the 23-year-old Russell gives the Warriors their best chance on acquiring more assets. Myers, however, insisted otherwise.
“We didn’t sign him with the intention of just trading him,” Myers said. “We didn’t even see him play in our uniform yet. Yet a lot of people already have us trading him. That’s not how we’re viewing it.”
The Warriors view Russell as a consolation prize in a sign-andtrade with Brooklyn after Durant committed with the Nets. They believe Russell can complement Stephen Curry with additional outside shooting and playmaking both with passing and pickand-roll sets. Perhaps that could give the Warriors enough scoring to compensate for Durant’s departure and Klay Thompson’s expected absence because of his left knee injury.
Still, Myers did not exactly protect a young player from trade speculation. He simply issued a non-denial denial on whether the Warriors would deal Russell as early as Dec. 15, leading into the trade deadline or next summer. Consider Myers said that “we’re excited at the possibility of him in our uniform.”
NEXT SEASON WILL BE DIFFERENT >> Myers and coach Steve Kerr had plenty of time to reflect when driving to Oakland from San Fransisco for the media session.
They had time to mourn the departures of Durant, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston. They had time to answer the question marks on how well the Warriors can sustain another playoff run next season. The Warriors will have all of next season to process how those variables play out. It only took that car ride, though, to crystalize the expected themes.
“There is an excitement and awareness that it’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be different,” Myers said. “But change was coming at some point. You never know when. You never know how. But it’s always coming.”
The Warriors sense change is coming all right. They no longer have Durant, Iguodala or Livingston. Although Myers said he had “no new information,” Klay Thompson is also expected to stay sidelined until between December and March because of an injured ACL in his left knee. The Warriors might still have championship equity with Curry and Green as championship equity. They all also have a handful of players that will wear the Warriors uniform for the first time, including Russell, fifth-year center Willie Cauley-Stein, nine-year wing Alec Burks, seven-year forward Glenn Robinson III as well as rookie guard Jordan Poole, rookie center Alen Smailagic and rookie forward Eric Paschall.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers paired Anthony Davis with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Clippers paired Kawhi Leonard with Paul George. All of which leaves Myers with uncertainty on where the Warriors might rank in a Western Conference they usually dominated.
“Can we compete?” Myers asked rhetorically. “Yeah, I think we’ve shown we have a group that can at least at its core whenever Klay comes back with Draymond and Steph. That’s a group that has shown it can win. As far as the other pieces, we have to see what they are, how they are, what is the fit and they’re young. Young teams take some time. But I just want us to show up, work hard and get acclimated in a new arena and get everybody together as best as we can in training camp.”