Kevin Durant's tiff with Draymond Green sent speculation surrounding his free agency into a frenzy. Would the beef heard 'round the world mean The End Of The Warriors As We Know It?
Well, you might want to put any plans to order a "DURANT NO. 35" New York Knicks jersey on hold until July.
Durant told Yahoo's Chris Haynes on Tuesday that his confrontation with Green won't affect his decision in free agency this summer.
"Nah, [it won't factor]," Durant said. "Because at the end of the day, I'm just a ballplayer that's just trying to be in a great environment to play basketball and groom my skills every day. And I want to compete on a level that once the game starts, I'm just totally comfortable with my surroundings, with just going out there and being me."
[RELATED: KD enters the 'lab' with Steve Nash to fix wayward jump shot]
Sources told NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole that Green crossed a line by bringing up Durant's free agency when the two argued during a Nov. 12 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Durant was upset that Green didn't pass him the ball on the final possession in regulation of a game the Warriors ultimately lost in overtime, and the two got into it on the sideline.
Green ultimately was suspended one game for "conduct detrimental to the team," as the Warriors experienced what coach Steve Kerr called "the real NBA." Maybe that's why Durant said he was able to quickly move past the exchange with Green.
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"I never really felt like it was a problem, because I know Dray and he says some crazy [expletive] out his mouth all the time," Durant told Yahoo Sports. "But on top of that, it was just that there was so much coming with it from the outside, and so much stuff that we have to answer now."
In July, Durant can opt out of a two-year, $61.5 million contract he signed last summer. Until Durant puts pen to paper, questions surrounding his Warriors future surely will follow.
Going on the record to say the last week won't affect his decision might not truly reassure the Warriors, but it beats the alternative.
Programming note: Watch Wednesday night's Warriors-Thunder game streaming live at 7:30 p.m. PT on the MyTeams app.
