Durant downplays LeBron-to-Warriors, admits 'crazy things have happened'
Kevin Durant has seen wilder events take shape.
It was the 29-year-old himself who made one of the most controversial free-agent decisions in league history in July 2016 when he announced he was teaming up with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the rest of the Golden State Warriors.
So, when news surfaced early Thursday morning that Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James would reportedly meet with the Warriors as a free agent - provided they could open a max salary slot for him - Durant's first impulse was to shut them down. But, as he knows, nothing is impossible in the Association.
"Bulls---," Durant instinctively responded when asked about the rumors Thursday, courtesy of 95.7 The Game. "But in this league, a couple years ago, me coming here, nobody would have thought that. It's part of me as a basketball player that's just like, 'Let's just worry about basketball.' And then on the other side, we know this is a business as well and a lot of crazy things have happened since I've been in the league and ... in the future there's going to be crazier things that's going to happen.
"I just want people to enjoy what really goes on between the lines."
Warriors bench boss Steve Kerr was definitely less candid about James' purported mega-swap than his player was. When questioned about the possibility of coaching The King next season, Kerr didn't even entertain the idea for fear of being dinged with a tampering fine.
"You're really going to ask that?" Kerr said, per Melissa Rohlin of the Bay Area News Group. "Do you want me to get my checkbook out? I could just make it out to Adam Silver? Or to the NBA?
"You know that's illegal. I'm not answering that."