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The Golden State Warriors are linked to a potential blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant after a disappointing season. Analysts suggest that acquiring Durant could revitalize the team's championship aspirations.
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Warriors linked to blockbuster Kevin Durant trade after playoffs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
While things didn’t go as planned for the Golden State Warriors this season, they aren’t required to put their championship aspirations to rest just yet.
Stephen Curry is no longer in his prime, but when healthy, he can still deliver the goods as the Dubs’ No. 1 scoring option/playmaker (he averaged 26.6 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game with the Warriors last season while shooting 46.8% from the field and 39.3% from beyond the arc).
A blockbuster offseason acquisition could be just what the doctor ordered for Golden State, and the Ringer’s Bill Simmons believes Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant could be the missing piece to the puzzle.
“I am all in on LeBron (James) going to Golden State next year,” Simmons sarcastically said Monday. “Can I have Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson join him? Let’s go full ‘Expendables,’ and Golden State ends up with LeBron, (Steph) Curry, Durant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Al Horford.”
Analysts believe there is a significant possibility of Kevin Durant being traded to the Warriors, especially after their recent playoff performance.
Bill Simmons from The Ringer suggested that Kevin Durant could be the key acquisition for the Warriors this offseason.
Kevin Durant's addition could significantly enhance the Warriors' chances of competing for another championship, given his scoring ability and experience.
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Let’s make one thing clear: it’s highly unlikely the Warriors will succeed in landing James, Durant, and Thompson in the same offseason. A more realistic possibility would involve the Dubs signing James, who’s slated to become a free agent, and inching closer to championship contention.
However, although Durant previously stated he wasn’t interested in a reunion with the Warriors, he could change his stance if the Rockets fail to flip the script against the Los Angeles Lakers in the postseason (they trail 3-1 in the first round).
After all, Durant won both of his titles alongside Curry in the Bay, and even if the franchise moves on from long-time head coach Steve Kerr this summer (they’re expected to make a decision about his future this week), it’s likely the Warriors would have the utmost confidence in the two-time NBA Finals MVP to have similar success during his second stint.
That said, it’s still a long-shot scenario that the Warriors may or may not explore in the offseason.
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