Green’s comments about Durant and judgment are…weird.
The Phoenix Suns spotted Kevin Durant in the corner for much of their season.
Ahead of their offseason, the Suns and GM and president of basketball operations, James Jones, want to move Durant away from the spot and into a more involved offensive position.
“No one has done it yet,” said Jones, who played against Durant’s Golden State Warriors in the 2017 NBA Finals, of Durant being fully maximized.
Durant is one of the 10 greatest players in NBA history. His performance in the 2017 NBA Finals is one that won’t soon be forgotten.
The Suns’ rival and one of their adversaries in the Pacific Division, the Warriors’ Draymond Green, made that clear. Via “The Draymond Green Show”:
“Kevin Durant was maximized at the Golden State Warriors,” Green said. “You know why Kevin Durant was maximized at the Golden State Warriors? Because Kevin Durant was allowed to do what Kevin Durant only wants to do. You know what that is? Just play basketball.”
Regardless of Green’s damning statement on behalf of Durant, whose Warriors tenure ended in part because of a beef with Green, the 35-year-old superstar had one of the best years of his career in 2023-24.
Durant, who played 75 games, averaged the fifth-most points (27.1) in the NBA. He did so while shooting 52.3 percent and 41.3 from three.
Green’s opinion is one that should not be weighed much by the NBA audience. Green, who swung at Jusuf Nurkic in a game and came back with little to no remorse for his growing list of suspect plays on the basketball floor, is one of the biggest hypocrites in the NBA. He added to that by evaluating Durant, who is no longer his teammate. Reportedly, Green recruited Durant to join the Warriors after the 2016 NBA Finals.
There is some speculation Durant could return to Golden State. For now, it seems unlikely, but Green’s comments will cause fans to stir their own minds in circles.
“Kevin Durant didn’t have to worry about leading a team,” Green said. “And by the way, K is a great player, works his ass off.”
Yeah, we get it Draymond.
“The way he worked on a daily basis is leadership,” Green said. “Yes, he’s not vocal, yes he’s not going to say, ‘Hey come on, let’s go, do this.’
And then, he went at Jones.
“James Jones was on a team in 2017 that lost in the NBA Finals to Kevin Durant,” Green said. “…And when you got your ass bust, like the [Cavs]…I have a hard time believing that [he] can come out and say [that].”
Green is one of the NBA’s best players. His arrogant, pompous nature is what makes him an all-time great. It also creates opinions that shouldn’t be taken very seriously.