Not just Draymond Green, Kevin Durant has one other reason behind not returning to Golden State Warriors

Kevin Durant wanted to leave the Phoenix Suns for a while, and his wish has finally been granted now that he is Houston-bound. The 15-time NBA All-Star is going to join the Houston Rockets before the start of next season, as recently reported by Shams Charania of ESPN. The trade won't be formally recognized until after the July moratorium, but that doesn't mean it's not already a done deal. Amid all this, the Golden State Warriors fans, who had hoped for KD to return to the Bay Area, are understandably upset by the recent turn of events.

Kevin Durant has a couple reasons behind his unwillingness to return to Golden State WarriorsIt is known to most that when Kevin Durant was with the Golden State Warriors, there wasn't just prosperity in the team's success, but also a lot of drama. The fight between him and Draymond Green was visible to everyone, which led to a frosty environment in and out of the locker room. He was also unhappy with GSW's defence centric play and wanted to move on and find a new challenge.

BREAKING: The Phoenix Suns are trading two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EwrbA2ES9O

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 22, 2025

But what many might not know is that he also had problems with Steve Kerr and his style of coaching. Even if they did end up reconciling later on, things were pretty heated between the two. So it is quite simple to understand why KD would not be willing to return to the Bay Area once more and wants to try something different after a dissatisfied stint with the Suns. According to Logan Murdock of The Ringer:

“Durant’s exit from the Bay Area arguably had more to do with his issues with Steve Kerr than any shouting match with Green. Durant repeatedly complained both publicly and privately about Kerr’s offensive principles during his final season with the Warriors, and he continued to do so even after he left for Brooklyn. The two have since reconciled, but league sources identify Kerr as among the reasons Durant opted not to return to Golden State at the trade deadline.”

Steve Kerr was reportedly one of the reasons Kevin Durant wasn’t interested in returning to Golden State, per @loganmmurdock

“Durant’s exit from the Bay Area arguably had more to do with his issues with Steve Kerr than any shouting match with Green. Durant repeatedly complained… pic.twitter.com/Zzri61Ruyn

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 24, 2025

Now, fans are just waiting for the next bout as Kevin Durant leaves for his next destination. As for how it might turn out to be, let's quote KD himself: “We gon’ see what happens, man. We gonna see.”

Also Read: Kevin Durant plans to end career with Houston Rockets as extension talks loom ahead of 2025–26 season