NBA News Roundup, Friday, July 5th: Why Kevin Durant left Golden State, Kawhi Leonard could make free agency decision today and more
The NBA Free Agency period is now well underway, and while the likes of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant wasted no time in announcing their next destination, there are plenty of talented players still available.
Kawhi Leonard continues to mull over his future, while Danny Green, DeMarcus Cousins, and Jabari Parker could also play integral roles on a contending team.
So, ahead of another potentially drama-filled day, here are all the latest news and rumors you need to know for July 5th.
Kevin Durant's relationship with Draymond Green never recovered following on-court incident
One of the most memorable moments of the 18-19 season came when Draymond Green and Kevin Durant engaged in a heated argument during the Golden State Warriors' overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The incident stemmed from a disagreement over who should take the last shot, and Green eventually told Durant to leave in free agency because the Warriors were already winning before he arrived.
The All-Star pair quickly put the incident behind them, although while appearing on ESPN's 'The Jump', Durant's former teammate Kendrick Perkins expressed his belief that the incident was a contributing factor in Durant's decision to leave the team:
In my opinion, KD never bounced back from the Draymond situation. I think the Warriors had a chance to sign KD back. But when that situation occurred, the Warriors tried to clean it up by suspending Draymond. Those were some harsh words. As a man, there are certain levels you don’t cross and I think that was the last straw.
Earlier this week, Durant opted against a supermax deal with the Warriors in favor of signing with the Brooklyn Nets. The former MVP leaves having won two titles in three seasons with the team.