Jimmy Butler is now a member of the Golden State Warriors.
But if it weren’t for Kevin Durant and his apparent dislike of the Warriors, things could have looked very different on Wednesday evening.
Speaking on “Get Up,” per NBACentral, Brian Windhorst revealed that there was a deal in place that would have sent Durant back to the Warriors and Butler to the Phoenix Suns.
But when Durant stepped up and made it clear that he wasn’t interested in that, the Warriors moved on and formulated the package that brought them Butler.
There was a deal in place that would have sent Kevin Durant to Golden State, Jimmy Butler to Phoenix, and Andrew Wiggins to Miami, but Durant stepped in to shut it down, per @WindhorstESPN
(🎥 @GetUpESPN )
pic.twitter.com/dMXP39kiIH
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 6, 2025
In many ways, Durant’s three seasons with the Warriors were the most successful of his career.
He averaged 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.4 assists and earned two championships as well as two Finals MVPs.
But ever since leaving the team, there have been stories of Durant not liking his time with the Warriors.
He clearly cares about Steph Curry and has a close friendship with him, but rumors of him not getting along with Draymond Green have persisted, and people think he felt like a third wheel rather than a leader with Golden State.
The fact that he shot down this potential trade says a lot and makes it clear that he doesn’t want to go back to the team he won his only championships with.
Thankfully for the Warriors, Butler was ready to go, and they offered him a two-year extension.
Will this decision work out well for everyone, or will people always wonder what would have happened if Durant had come back to the Warriors?
NEXT: Warriors Reportedly Underestimated Kevin Durant’s ‘Coldness’ Toward Organization
