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Draymond Green: Kevin Durant Faces Double Standard After Trade Request

The Warriors forward came to his former superstar teammate’s defense on the latest episode of his podcast.

Jelani Scott

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In the days since Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Nets, the 12-time All-Star’s name has been at the center of countless conversations regarding his future and legacy.

Some of those conversations have questioned Durant’s desire to move on from a team he chose as a free agent in 2019, and subsequently signed a four-year max extension with last August. Narratives such as this drew the ire of Warriors forward Draymond Green, who came to the defense of his former teammate on the latest episode of his self-titled podcast.

“If Kevin Durant says, I actually don’t wanna be here anymore, I wanna go to somewhere else, why does it matter? Why does that make you weak? Why does that make him - means he’s running from something? I don’t understand that,” he said. “Why is it that it’s just not that’s the next step in his career?”

The four-time NBA champion then posed an interesting analogy to those who believe KD is running from his current situation rather than making an informed business decision for his career.

“If someone leaves Google to go to Apple after three or four years, and then they leave Apple after two years to go to Tesla … No one’s going to say that person ran,” Green argued. “Everyone’s going to say that person did what was best for their career and best for their livelihoods. But us, as athletes, it’s never viewed that way. Why can’t you do everything you can to get it right? Even if that means making a wrong move and continuing on.”

While the details of Durant’s situation are a little more complex than simply leaving one company to go to another, Green made it clear that he feels there’s a double standard within the culture that unfairly faults professional athletes for wanting out of their current situation.

Regardless of what side of the debate pundits, fans and players, including Durant, who has reportedly gone radio silent since June 30, may fall on, debates regarding the 33-year-old’s future will continue dominating the airwaves until a resolution is reached. But, if the comments he made on Twitter about his decision are any indication, KD has no intention of backing down from any critics any time soon.

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Jelani Scott
JELANI SCOTT

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