Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry discussed a potential reunion on the Warriors, but Durant decided to stay with the Suns, saying it “wasn’t the time.” The Warriors then traded for Jimmy Butler.
Kevin Durant reportedly discussed a possible return to the Golden State Warriors with Stephen Curry before deciding to stay with the Phoenix Suns.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst, Durant and Curry talked on Feb. 1 after the Warriors were deep in trade negotiations with the Suns.
“Durant told him that it didn’t ‘feel right’ and that this ‘wasn’t the time’ to revisit their basketball partnership, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the conversations,” Shelburne and Windhorst reported. “That he was happy in Phoenix and wasn’t looking to play elsewhere.”
The Suns ultimately kept Durant through Thursday’s trade deadline.
Warriors Moved on to Jimmy Butler
After missing out on Durant, the Warriors quickly shifted their focus to another star. They traded for Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat as part of a five-team deal on Wednesday.
Golden State then gave Butler a two-year, $121 million contract extension, keeping him on the team through the 2026-27 season.
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Durant-Curry Reunion Almost Happened
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Shams Charania reported that a trade idea was first discussed where Butler would go to Phoenix, and Durant would return to Golden State. However, Durant told the Suns he didn’t want to leave.
Curry and Durant were dominant together on the Warriors from 2016-2019, reaching the NBA Finals three times and winning two championships. Durant then left for the Brooklyn Nets in 2019.
Struggles Led to Trade Talks
Both Curry and Durant remain among the NBA’s best scorers, but their teams have struggled this season.
- Curry is averaging 22.7 points and 6.1 assists, shooting 38.9% from three. But the Warriors have a 25-26 record.
- Durant is scoring 26.9 points per game (6th in the NBA), shooting 52.4% from the field and 39.8% from three. However, the Suns are just 25-25, sitting 9th in the Western Conference.
While a Curry-Durant reunion would have been one of the biggest NBA trades, Durant reportedly made it clear to Curry that he wanted to stay in Phoenix.
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