"If I'm Kevin Durant, there is no way in hell that I want to go back to Golden State" - Former NBA champion opines KD will tarnish his legacy if he re-joins the Dubs
Rumors of Kevin Durant returning to the Golden State Warriors have surfaced time and again in this free agency period. Former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins emphasized why the move would be detrimental to Durant's legacy.
Kevin Durant surprised the NBA world when he requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. While several teams have popped up on the radar as suitors, there has been no official move yet.
Among the teams interested, the Golden State Warriors also emerged as a potential landing spot for the superstar. However, the possibility of a reunion with the Dubs has been received relatively poorly.
Perkins strongly believed that Durant going to the Warriors would "tarnish" his legacy. Elaborating upon this on First Take (reported via NBCSports), the former player had this to say:
"Listen, if I'm Kevin Durant, there is no way in hell that I want to go back to Golden State. Because if he do, it would tarnish his legacy forever. Now, if he goes back, he can help win more rings and help Steph Curry's legacy. But for his own legacy, it would be tarnished for ever."
Kendrick Perkins also explored the situation from Golden State's point of view on the matter. He said:
"Look, if I'm the Warriors, I'm staying pat on what I got. Steph Curry has proven and shown to us that he can be that guy to lead his team to the championship, win it all along with the Finals MVP and help young guys like Jordan Poole grow into being in the conversation as Most Improved, maybe in the near future even an All-Star."
He added:
"So, if I'm the Warriors, I'm staying pat. They have the culture, they have the mixture of youth and veterans. I don't make that move."
.@KendrickPerkins says KD's legacy will be tarnished forever if he teams up with the Warriors ⬇️ https://t.co/tsoISbElG3
Perkins was fairly resolute in expressing his opinion on Durant's legacy in this context. Having left the Warriors to establish his own legacy, the superstar would surely receive a bad rap if he returned after failing with the Nets.
Kevin Durant may be stuck in Brooklyn
The situation surrounding Kevin Durant's trade negotiations has been shrouded in mystery. While still under contract, the Nets are under no obligation to trade Durant. However, they have implied that they are open to trade negotiations.
This is where the problem begins. The Brooklyn Nets have asked for a lot in return for their superstar. Demanding several picks and some key players from the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier, the Nets have established a high value for their star.
Unfortunately, the rest of the league has not necessarily seen things the same way. As per Brian Windhorst of ESPN, teams aren't willing to meet the price the Nets have set on Durant.
Teams have been unwilling to meet the Nets' asking price for Kevin Durant, per @windhorstespn.
KD's value "may not be as high as the Nets wanted" https://t.co/uRHm1k5dWW
With KD's value dropping due to his contract, age and his injury history, the Nets and Durant both find themselves in a complex situation. In this regard, Brooklyn are also rumored to be okay with retaining Durant.
Unfortunately, this has also been viewed as posturing from the organization's side.
The Nets are letting it be known around the league that they may bring Kevin Durant back next season per @WindhorstESPN.
He says this stance has yet to affect the market and Brooklyn is not getting the offers they want for KD. https://t.co/OTaY3UZ3rb