Is the Warriors dynasty at the end of its rope? If it is, then what will bring the end may be what has destroyed so many teams in the past: Drama and players just getting tired of being around each other. Kevin Durant and Draymond Green let aired some private dirty laundry in public during a Monday loss to the Clippers. Green didn’t give Durant the ball at the end of the game, which led to on-court frustration from Durant.
When Green turned the ball over, the frustration from Durant only grew. Green, angry with Durant’s reaction, fired back. He reportedly called him some words that you shouldn’t say to anybody, which led to a one-game suspension. Green also reportedly called out Durant for his impending free agency. The fallout of this has been bad, so much so that one Warriors player thinks this could be the end of Durant in Golden State.
Via Marcus Thompson of The Athletic:
Management is holding fast to its stance that Green crossed a line that can’t be crossed. Some say it’s just “Draymond being Draymond.” At least two said he did go too far, attacking his teammate personally. One player was even concerned that Green may have lost his authority in the locker room, the berating was so over-the-top.
“With what was said, there is already no way Durant is coming back,” one player said. “The only hope is that they can say this summer, ‘See, KD. We’ve got your back. We protected you from Draymond.’ ”
“We protected you from Draymond” is a pretty damning quote considering how the Warriors are apparently treating this entire situation. They didn’t need to pick sides, but they’re currently taking Durant’s by making a very public spectacle of Green’s suspension.
Let’s all take a moment to remember that the season is about a month old at this point and the Warriors already have some amount of dissension in the ranks. Durant’s free agency isn’t going to take place until July and the Warriors are currently in the process of trying to three-peat as champions. That’s a long way to go, and the entire time, this drama will be simmering beneath.
Golden State has a chance to do something historic. Everybody knows that the only team that can stop the Warriors is the Warriors, but if they allow this drama to derail them, then that would be a disappointing end to what has been an incredible dynasty.
