It feels obvious that Kevin Durant’s departure would be motivation for the Golden State Warriors. But, Draymond Green says otherwise.
The moment Kevin Durant announced he was leaving the Golden State Warriors, a rift was created. Essentially, the two-time Finals MVP was stating that he no longer felt the Dubs were the best franchise for him to play with and needed a new home. Most would think this is something that the Warriors would use as motivation to prove Durant wrong.
Instead, Draymond Green says the Dubs aren’t too worried about Durant’s decision. Appearing on ESPN’s Jalen and Jacoby show, Green had this to say about the Warriors’ motivations for next season:
"There’s not added motivation with him leaving. We’re competitors, we’re champions, and we’re going to continue to try to raise our level of play to that level in order to finish what we started. And that started before KD, so it’s not like we need to rally around this whole notion that KD’s not here anymore. We know what it takes to win a championship and that’s what we’re going to rally around"
Green and Durant have had their clashes in the past and some even argue Green was one of the main driving forces in pushing KD out of Golden State. Regardless of their past, Green obviously has bigger things in mind.
The Warriors were tossed to the ground this year. Everyone around the league has taken full advantage of this opportunity to kick the Warriors while they’re down. If this isn’t enough cause for motivation then I don’t know what is. In particular, Green will be looking to redeem himself after a season full of criticism.
I’m sure the Dubs have a bit of lingering animosity for the way Durant left them but it will not be the catalyst for their success this season. The Warriors have proven they are capable of motivating themselves and this year will be no different.