In a stunning turn of events, the NBA world was rocked not by Kevin Durant’s anticipated return to the Golden State Warriors, but by the Dallas Mavericks trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Before the blockbuster Doncic trade stole headlines, the Warriors were deep in negotiations with the Phoenix Suns to bring Durant back to Golden State, where he previously helped secure two championships in 2017 and 2018.
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The Warriors, eager to bolster their roster for a fifth title run, saw Durant as the missing piece. Draymond Green, appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, recounted a moment of confusion and excitement at the Warriors’ charity poker tournament when he thought the Durant deal was finalized. “I had just seen Joe Lacob 10 minutes before this happened,” Green said. “Joe goes, ‘Draymond, I think we’re gonna get Kevin Durant. It’s right there at the finish line, it’s happening, we’re getting Kevin Durant back.’ I’m like, ‘Oh man, here we go, let’s go.’ We talk about it. He’s like, ‘You think it will work?’ I’m like, ‘Absolutely.’”
Lacob, realizing he’d shared sensitive information, quickly backtracked. “He comes running back to me two minutes later, ‘Draymond, Draymond, I wasn’t supposed to say anything. Don’t say nothing to nobody.’ I’m like, ‘Joe, I got you, I won’t say anything,’” Green recalled.
Moments later, during the tournament, Steph Curry shouted to Green, “Draymond, you see the trade?” Green, assuming it was the Durant deal, responded excitedly, “It happened!” But when Curry clarified, “Luka got traded,” Green’s enthusiasm turned to shock. A video posted by poker player Alan Keating captured Green’s expression shifting from a smile to disbelief as the news sank in.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Green told Kimmel. “Superstars at 25 don’t get traded. Luka’s a megastar, just coming off the NBA Finals. You just don’t see that in the NBA. I immediately wondered, ‘I have to be next if Luka’s being traded.’”
Ultimately, Durant declined the midseason trade to Golden State, opting not to uproot his season. Instead, the Warriors pivoted, acquiring Jimmy Butler, who proved to be an excellent fit. With Butler, the Warriors surged into the postseason, though a hamstring injury to Curry halted their momentum, preventing a potential upset over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Durant trade rumors and the unexpected Doncic blockbuster underscored the NBA’s unpredictable nature, with Green’s candid reaction stealing the spotlight at the Warriors’ charity event.