The Warriors have turned the page since the Kevin Durant era, winning this year’s NBA title with their original core payers, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
But KD will always be Bay Area basketball royalty. Unfortunately, Warriors fans at Chase Center haven’t had the opportunity to tell Durant in person.
That’s because Durant has yet to play in front of Warriors fans since he left the team in 2019. As detailed by The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Durant has played at Chase once, but it was during the pandemic. With Durant’s uncertain situation in Brooklyn, it’s hard to pin down when he might return in front of fans this season, but Slater gives us some potential dates to watch.
It’s been more than three years since Kevin Durant left the Warriors, but he’s still yet to play a game back in the Bay Area in front of fans. Durant’s lone game in Chase Center came in the depths of the pandemic with the arena empty.
It’s tough to pin down a date that Durant may finally get his tribute video and ovation from Warriors fans because, well, it’s tough to pin down exactly where Durant will be playing next season. If he remains on the Nets, his lone visit will be on Jan. 22. If he gets traded to the Celtics, that Finals rematch on Dec. 10 will only have more spice.
Anthony Slater/The Athletic
Despite Durant’s trade request in Brooklyn, I expect him to remain with the Nets. He’s too good to trade unless there’s a massive amount of assets going to the Nets in return. And it seems there is no team willing to mortgage the future for the nearly 34-year-old KD.
So watch for him to return on Jan. 22. Or not. It’s certainly an uncertain situation, as Slater points out. Whenever Durant returns, I expect the crowd to cheer loudly for him, leaving no doubt as to how important he is to local basketball lore.
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