Kevin Durant hasn’t been a Warrior since 2019, but he knows as well as anyone how things work inside the organization.
Durant and Draymond Green have their own history of high-profile incident, so Durant has a unique perspective on the ongoing Green-Jordan Poole situation.
But Green punching the young guard at practice is not the same as Green berating Durant on the sideline and in the locker room, like he did early in the 2018-19 season. In an interview with ESPN’s Nick Friedell, Durant made that clear.
“That’s not the same situation,” Durant told ESPN. “Somebody got punched in the face … It’s no comparison to that. It was just some words that being — I heard people say that that happens a lot in the NBA. I had never seen nothing like that before. But what me and Draymond did a few years back, that s— happens all the time. So it’s easy to get through something like that, but I don’t know what this situation is like.”
Green was suspended for one game for that verbal exchange, but only got fined for slugging Poole. GSW head coach Steve Kerr called the punch the “biggest crisis” the team has faced since he joined the organization, but explained that every situation is different when asked why Green was suspended for the Durant tiff but not the Poole jab.
The decision, Kerr said, was made collectively with input from Poole, general manager Bob Myers and several veteran leaders.
“I think the best thing about the Warriors is their mantra’s been ‘Strength in Numbers’ that whole time,” Durant told ESPN. “And it’s always been a collaborative effort with everybody there. So Steph is not alone in trying to gather everybody. I’m sure Andre (Iguodala) is helping him. I’m sure (Kevon Looney) is helping him. I’m sure Bob (Myers) and Shaun (Livingston) and Klay (Thompson) and just the guys that have been there are helping him as well.”
Durant told ESPN that he hasn’t connected with either Green or Poole since the incident, but the leaked video has made the story a point of conversation in Brooklyn’s locker room. Durant spent three years with the Warriors, winning the 2017 and 2018 Finals MVP.
He maintained that what’s going on behind closed doors is none of his business, but is confident Golden State will be able to move past the drama. Still, this is a unique situation.
“It’s rare,” Durant told ESPN. “It’s rare. I’ve been in the league 16 years, and I’ve never seen that until the other day on camera. You hear about it with MJ and you hear about it with Bobby Portis, but there’s nothing that’s happening every year. It’s very rare that something like that happens.”
After about a week away from the team, Green is set to rejoin the Warriors at practice Thursday. He’s expected to play in Golden State’s final preseason game and its season opener next Tuesday.