Kevin Durant Says He Doesn't Care If Warriors Get Meeting with LeBron James
Kevin Durant and LeBron James are going head-to-head for the second straight NBA Finals. But if the Golden State Warriors have a chance to turn the rivals into teammates this summer, Durant doesn't seem to care either way.
"I don't think anybody gives a (expletive) about that. I think once the season and everything is over, everything starts over," Durant told Sam Amick of USA Today.
When asked if he would be OK with the Warriors signing James in free agency, Durant responded, "I'm not saying that," but expanded to say he keeps himself out of front office decisions.
"I don't think, either way, I wouldn't be storming into his office saying, 'We need to go sit down with this guy,' or 'No, we don't need (that guy),'" Durant said. "Like, that's not my place. My place is to go play ball, and be the best teammate and player. That's my only job. Everything else I leave up to Bob, because he's getting paid a lot of money to make those decisions."
James and Durant can become unrestricted free agents this summer. Durant said he fully expects to return to Golden State.
"Everything, the money and stuff that's got to, the contract got to (be) worked out, but I plan on being here," Durant said. "I said that earlier this year. I didn't plan on anything else. But this is the NBA, and anything can happen. And I know that anything can happen, (because) I've been a part of this league for so long now.”
The machinations necessary for LeBron to find his way to Golden State are too impossible to figure out. It would take an opt-in-and-trade likely including both Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. The Warriors are a game away from winning their third Finals in four years. They're going to do everything they can to keep this core together, not tear it apart.
And the final act of James' career will likely be about vanquishing the Warriors, not joining them.
