Oklahoma City’s 3-1 series lead in the Western Conference Finals evaporated, setting off a chain of seismic events that eventually led to Kevin Durant signing with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent.
Green, who refutes claims that he was recruiting KD during their postseason battle, knows it took a stunning collapse by the Thunder for the Dubs to land the former MVP.
The All-Star forward says that inking Durant is not such a bad consolation prize after blowing the NBA Finals in historic fashion.
Per The Oklahoman (via Draft Kings):
“During the playoffs, it’s a little different. More is at stake, so we weren’t talking much and that’s normal. I heard something come out where they said Kevin Durant and Draymond were talking during the playoffs. They were lying. If that makes them feel better about themselves, and when I say ‘them,’ I’m talking about whoever, whoever’s saying it. They’re wrong. […] I was told there were people from the Thunder who were mad that me and KD were talking. I don’t know where the report came from. It came from somewhere. And to be honest with you, I really don’t care where it came from. And if we were talking, we were, but I have to reason to come out and lie and say I wasn’t talking to KD, because if I was can’t nobody do anything about it.”
Green said if the Thunder beat Golden State in the Western Conference finals, there’s “no chance” Durant was going to the Warriors. […] “When you’re thinking ‘if Kevin Durant and OKC, they beat us in Game 7, or 6, or 5, how can he leave there,” Green said. “He can’t leave there. But we came back, and once we came back, it kinda keeps everything that’s his feelings real. I think it allows him to make whatever decision he wants to make, whereas I think if you go to the Finals it kinda puts a stranglehold on his decision. It kinda makes his decision not his decision.”
“Two series have completely reshaped the NBA,” Green said. “We beat Cleveland … very very very slim chance we get Kevin Durant, coming off back-to-back championships. So if we win it all and the Cavs don’t come back from down 3-1 and win the championship … I’m not gonna necessarily say we were gonna go recruit Kevin Durant; I think you have the opportunity to go recruit Kevin Durant, who will end up going down as one of the greatest players of all time, I think you go recruit Kevin Durant. […] Now, do we get Kevin Durant? That’s a whole different question. If we have a 70 percent chance of getting Kevin Durant and not winning the Finals, I think all of a sudden we got an eight percent chance of getting Kevin Durant if we win the Finals. […] I don’t think our alternative was too bad. We lost a championship, we get Kevin Durant … hey.”
