© Kyle Terada | 2018 Nov 13
Kevin Durant is gone, but the reports about what really went on behind the scenes during his Warriors tenure are just starting to ramp up. The latest comes via the unrestrained, but undeniably plugged in, Stephen A. Smith, who reported on Wednesday that Durant did not care for Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
“One of the other things that hasn’t been talked about: Kevin Durant did not have the greatest relationship with Steve Kerr,” Smith said on “First Take”. “He wasn’t too fond of Steve Kerr at all. I don’t know the particulars, but I do know that, okay?
“The team was the team. Kevin Durant was part of the team, but he was his own man. People didn’t know too much about him, he pretty much iso’d himself.”
The report is somewhat surprising considering Kerr’s approval rating around the league, but it also shouldn’t come as a shock.
During the season, Durant took a not so veiled shot at Kerr during a postgame presser, after his coach said that the team needed to play with more anger after a listless loss.
“I thought we move off of joy? Now anger?” Durant asked.
“That’s what your coach said,” reporter Tim Kawakami responded
“I disagree with that one,” KD continued. “We just gotta…I think all around top to bottom players and coaches just got to be better. We’ll come back tomorrow and watch the film and practice and see where we go from there. We usually bounce back pretty well, so we’ll see what happens.”
Kevin Durant asked about Kerr saying the team needed to play with more anger: “I thought we moved off joy. Now anger? I disagree with that one.” pic.twitter.com/M7o4nFDori
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 6, 2019
Beyond Smith’s initial report, we don’t exactly have any specific details on why KD wouldn’t like Kerr, other than their divergent opinions on how the game should be played stylistically.
Whatever the issues were, we’re sure KD won’t have any problems with Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson…