"He can stay gone" - Warriors fans react to analyst's view on trading Draymond Green for Kevin Durant to form new Big 3

The Golden State Warriors failed to acquire Phoenix Suns superstar forward Kevin Durant at the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline. According to Fox Sports analyst Chris Broussard, the franchise should revisit Durant trade talks in the offseason centered around veteran forward Draymond Green. However, Warriors fans vehemently opposed his proposal.

Golden State aggressively targeted star-caliber players leading up to the trade deadline, searching for a co-star for superstar point guard Steph Curry. The organization reportedly struck out on a reunion with Durant after the 15-time All-Star shut down the negotiations.

Instead, the Warriors landed star forward Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat in a five-team trade on Feb. 6. They have started strong with Butler, going 3-1. Nevertheless, Broussard sees an avenue for Golden State to acquire Durant over the summer and form a Big 3.

According to the analyst, Green's defensive tenacity and leadership have become expendable following Butler's addition. So, the four-time NBA champion could become a trade chip in a Durant deal.

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"I'd shop Draymond if I'm Golden State. If I could get KD by moving Draymond, I'd do it," Broussard said on "Willard & Dibs" on Thursday. "You need Draymond's spirit and defense, but Butler can fill that void. Jimmy, Steph and KD is a team capable of winning a championship."

Warriors fans overwhelmingly pushed back against Broussard's suggestion, asserting that Green's intangibles make him invaluable to Curry and Co.

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"IDK, Draymond brings a core value to the team that you can't get from any player," @nakamaco said.

"You'd need Steph to say yes, and if Draymond wants to stay, Steph ain't saying yes," @Roback13 wrote.

"Curry needs Green more than we think and is capable of winning if you build a team around him," @RiskPaysOff said.

Meanwhile, others showed zero interest in Golden State reuniting with Kevin Durant, citing his 2019 free agency departure and recent playoff shortcomings.

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"Will outsiders just shut up. KD left, and he can stay gone," @SenyoSenyor wrote.

"Man, shut your a** up. We don't need KD back. If (his) current team isn't making at least (the Western Conference finals), then KD alone ain't solving anything," @AmareS66010429 said.

"Jimmy, Steph and KD wouldn't get past the second round in the absolute best case," @NCancellable wrote.

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Kevin Durant on why he spurned Warriors reunion

During an interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews released on Tuesday, Kevin Durant spoke about his decision to remain in Phoenix. The two-time NBA champion credited it to his aversion to being dealt midseason rather than having disdain for Golden State.

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"I just didn't want to get traded midway through the season. It was nothing against my time with the Warriors, or I heard because I don’t like Draymond," Durant said.

"At the end of the day, I just didn't want to move, and I wanted to see it through with my team in Phoenix and see what we could do the rest of this season. So, I'm glad I'm still there."

The Suns (26-28) are two games below .500 coming out of the All-Star break, sitting 11th in the West. If the veteran squad misses the postseason, perhaps Durant would become open to an offseason move.

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