"I think they're happier winning this title than any of the ones with KD" - NBA analyst glad at Steph Curry and Kevin Durant not reuniting yet, says it'd have been terrible for the league's health
Steph Curry was reportedly open to the idea of reuniting with Kevin Durant in Golden State. The offensive avenues that opened with Durant in the Warriors’ system, made them a very difficult team to beat. For the first time in his career, Durant was playing in a system where he didn’t necessarily have to lead all the time. However, he made the most out of it.
The Golden State Warriors are at that juncture again, a season where they will have to defend their championship. Getting Kevin Durant on board means an instant upgrade to the roster and a chance to turn the odds in their favor.
While Steph Curry was open to the idea, NBA analyst Nick Wright claimed that it wouldn’t have been a good move for the NBA or the Warriors. He said:
“If the only goal was to win as many championships as possible, obviously. If the goal was the health and well-being of the NBA, the health and well-being of Steph and Draymond's and Klay's mental state, but I think they're happier winning this title than any of the ones with KD.”
Steph Curry’s previous championships often carried question marks when it came to his legacy, given he had no Finals MVP to show for. He overcame that hurdle by winning the 2022 Finals MVP, owing to his strong performances against the Celtics. Curry made it to the Finals after a two-year absence, but dominated by averaging 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game.
Nick Wright called Curry’s interest in Kevin Durant “interesting,” given the fact that it would suggest weakness. He said:
“Steph confirming that he would have been okay with it is interesting. I’m so incredibly glad it didn’t happen.”
Steph Curry placed confidence in the current roster amidst Kevin Durant connections
Kevin Durant has not had it easy ever since he left the Warriors, with injury troubles and locker room drama dominating headlines. However, the team that Durant left behind have become champions despite their own share of problems.
Andrew Wiggins grew tremendously in the absence of Klay Thompson, shouldering more responsibility on both ends of the floor. Jordan Poole emerged as a much-improved version of himself and benefitted from a mentor like Steph Curry.
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In an interview with Rolling Stone, Curry spoke about the idea of playing with Durant again. He said:
“If anybody’s saying that you wouldn’t entertain that conversation — no disrespect to anybody on our team — but you don’t know how things work. But you also understand, like, if we run this thing back, I’ve got complete confidence in my team that we can win it again, as constructed.”
The Golden State Warriors were crowned champions with the odds stacked against them. They had the right set of role players along with the trio of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green. With the Warriors playing at a high level, they cannot be written off to do it again this year.