Kevin Durant's often unappreciated success with the Golden State Warriors has followed his career, and now it could come back to bite the franchise as they pursue a blockbuster trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Antetokounmpo could be realizing that the shape of Durant's legacy may be a reason not to be open to a trade to the Warriors before this Thursday's deadline.
Kevin Durant's legacy at the Warriors could now impact Giannis trade
Fischer reports that there was some "tangible belief" over the weekend of the Warriors getting an Antetokounmpo trade done, but that the 2x MVP's willingness to head to the Bay Area is still a potential sticking point in discussions.
"Some in the know suspect Antetokounmpo could be turned off by the idea of joining an older team and/or facing the sort of criticism that Kevin Durant continues to absorb to this day about teaming up with Curry," Fischer wrote.
This will be shattering news to Warriors fans if it's true and is actually what ultimately prevents an Antetokounmpo trade to the franchise in the coming days. Golden State appear to have arguably the best trade package, but the 10x All-Star still holds a level of leverage when it comes to his preference on a landing spot.
The good news for Golden State is that the leverage will only increase during the offseason when Antetokounmpo will be on an expiring contract, meaning Milwaukee could be motivated to get a deal done before this week's deadline.
It's ironic that Antetokounmpo may now be questioning a move to the Warriors based on Durant's legacy, when 12 months ago it was Durant himself who rejected a trade back to the Bay from the Phoenix Suns.
Durant too -- like Antetokounmpo now -- had a year remaining on his contract. Golden State evidently listened to Durant and didn't go through with a trade, shifting their focus to completing a move for Jimmy Butler.
Will the Warriors heed Antetokounmpo's concerns and not go through with a trade now knowing he could depart in 2027 free agency? Perhaps more importantly, will the Bucks make the best deal for themselves or take their superstar's preference into account?
There seems to be so much rampant reporting and speculation on a trade that it's seemingly becoming more likely that a deal will actually happen, but whether that's to the Warriors remains the million dollar question.