*Former Golden State Warriors teammates Kevin Durant and Draymond Green both blamed the team’s coach Steve Kerr and president/general manager Bob Myers for mishandling the fallout from the players’ argument that ultimately blew up the team, causing KD to leave following the 2018-19 season.
In a chat between the two posted Wednesday on Bleacher Report, Durant and Green both said they believed that Kerr and Myers were at fault for the way they handled the players’ emotional back-and-forth on the floor that spilled over into the locker room after an overtime loss to the LA Clippers at Staples Center on Nov. 12, 2018.
During the first episode of his new series “Chips,” Green asked Durant how much that argument played a part in his decision to leave the Warriors.
“It wasn’t the argument,” Durant told Green. “It was the way that everybody — Steve Kerr — acted like it didn’t happen. Bob Myers tried to just discipline you [Green] and think that would put the mask over everything.”
Green, who was ultimately suspended by the Warriors for the following game over the argument, said he spoke to Warriors management after flying back to the Bay Area following the Clippers game and then again the following morning. He said he had a message for Myers and Warriors management when the group asked him to apologize to Durant.
“‘Y’all are about to f— this up,'” Green said he told them. “I said, ‘The only person that can make this right is me and K [Durant]. And there is nothing that y’all can do, and y’all are going to f— this up.’ And in my opinion, they f—ed it up.”
Durant said: “I think so too.”
While Durant and Green appeared to get over the incident in the next couple of weeks, the uncomfortable nature of the public incident, combined with the fact that players and coaches were repeatedly asked about it in almost every city they traveled, hovered over the organization all season.
Watch the entire Chips conversation between Green and Durant below. (The portion dealing with their blow up begins at 8:35.) View the location of more highlights from the interview below the video.
Intro 0:43 – 2:44
KD’s early basketball days in high school and college 2:45 – 4:12
KD didn’t really play the 4 position till he was in Golden State 4:15 – 4:58
What KD meant by “tired of being second” quote 5:00 – 6:30
Why KD left OKC for GSW ‘I would do that s–t a million times’ 6:31 – 8:34
Draymond thinks KD was over being in GS after year 2 8:35 – 11:30
The infamous KD-Draymond argument fallout ‘They f–ked it up.’ 11:35 – 14:30
Playing with guys like Russ, Draymond, Kyrie, James Harden 14:31 – 15:55
KD on his relationship with the media 15:59 – 18:01
KD’s Twitter fingers and burner accounts 18:02 – 18:53
Any regrets leaving the Warriors? 18:54 – 20:24
Now playing with the Nets and Kyrie Irving 20:25 – 22:46
Life after basketball? Any kids? 22:47 –
End – Happiest you’ve been as a professional?
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
