It’s been almost a decade since Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to shockingly sign with the Golden State Warriors. The move sent the NBA into a frenzy, and while he had every right to do what was best for his career, some fans still haven’t forgiven him.
Durant had the opportunity to return to the Bay Area to reunite with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green last season. Oddly enough, he respectfully declined, and they went after Jimmy Butler. Now, after being part of a complex seven-team trade, Durant signed an extension with the Houston Rockets. The two-time NBA champion finally revealed why he didn’t want to return to the Warriors.
Why Did Kevin Durant Not Want To Rejoin the Warriors?
Durant was with the Warriors until 2019, when he announced he was joining the Brooklyn Nets. He sat out his first season with the Nets as he rehabbed an Achilles injury sustained in the prior season’s playoffs.
In 2023, Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns. Now, Durant is speaking up about his 2025 trade to the Rockets and sharing why he did not want to return to the Warriors.
“I didn’t like that part of it. And I felt like I worked my way up in this league and put a lot of sweat equity into my name and my game, or the respect or the brand that I’ve created,” Durant told Sports Illustrated. “So you doing business behind my back, backdoor s— like that– It just didn’t sit right with me. So I just wanted to wash my hands of both of those teams, the Warriors and the Suns because I didn’t like how they did business.”
“When you put Kevin Durant on any basketball team immediately, they become right into the mix of contenders.”@TheJetOnTNT weighs in on the Rockets and how much of a threat they can be in the Western Conference ✍️ pic.twitter.com/DK4zh9ZPfa
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 22, 2025
Durant ultimately stayed with the Phoenix Suns before being traded to the Houston Rockets. He just agreed to sign a two-year extension to stay under Ime Udoka’s tutelage through the 2027-28 season:
“I do appreciate, actually, the Warriors coming to me before they actually made a move and asking me, ‘Did I want to be a part of it?’ But I just didn’t like how they all formed,” Durant added. “So, I just wanted to wash my hands with that and move on. Houston was the team that really respected me, respected what I bring to the table and wanted to make this work. So, I’m excited about it.”
Durant spent three years with Steve Kerr’s team, and the Warriors reached the NBA Finals in all of those seasons. He won two consecutive championships and two Finals MVPs before suffering an Achilles injury in the 2019 NBA Finals.
He’s bounced around the league ever since, with failed tenures in Brooklyn and Phoenix. Now, no longer in his prime, he might be the missing piece the Rockets needed to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since the Hakeem Olajuwon days.
The Warriors, on the other hand, will just hope that their new veteran core can keep the dynasty alive for a little longer.
