The budding rivalry between the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns just keeps heating up. After trading verbal barbs with Jusuf Nurkic following his team's thrilling, contentious 113-112 win over Phoenix on Saturday, Draymond Green continued his war of words with the Suns big man on Tuesday's edition of his eponymous podcast, also bringing former teammate Kevin Durant into the fray.
Once again addressing Nurkic's postgame comments that he “didn't learn anything” during his indefinite suspension for previously striking the Bosnian Beast in the face, Green went after Nurkic and Durant—who said following the initial incident on January 12th he hopes Green gets the “help he needs”—for questioning his character.
“[Nurkic] and Kevin questioned my character before you know,” Green said on the most recent episode of The Draymond Green Podcast. “As if you’re going to question somebody's character about a basketball game as if it’s not real life, as if that don’t effect people’s pockets. I think all of it was really cowardly if you want my honest opinion.”
Draymond Green's fraught history with Kevin Durant
It's hardly surprising Green would continue fanning the flames of animus between he and Nurkic. The tenor of their interactions during Saturday's instant-classic game and its headline-grabbing aftermath laid bare there's no more love to lose between them. But including Durant in his latest back-and-forth with Nurkic indeed raises eyebrows, especially because the former teammates famously mended fences awhile back after Durant left Golden State in 2019.
Green and Durant sat down for a one-on-one interview in August 2021, clearing the air about any ill will between them stemming from the latter's decision to bail on the Warriors and the former's role in it.
Following a close-fought November 2018 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Green went at Durant in the Dubs locker room, questioning the impending free agent on why he hadn't committed to the team going forward and suggesting Golden State didn't need him. The argument stemmed from Durant questioning Green's decision-making on a final play that sealed the Warriors' loss and ended with Durant not touching the ball. Green was suspended one game for his role in the exchange.
Two-and-half-years later, both Green and Durant blamed coach Steve Kerr and general manager Bob Myers for the fractious fallout from the incident. Durant expressed his frustration the Warriors never openly discussed it, while Green blamed Kerr and Myers for trying to force him to apologize to Durant before he was ready. Ultimately, both Green and Durant agreed Golden State's micromanaging of the situation “f***ed it up,” sparking more tension between the future Hall-of-Famers before Durant decided to sign with the Brooklyn Nets in free agency the following summer.
Durant didn't have much to say about the antics between Green and Nurkic in Saturday's game. Asked directly what Green was yelling on the court after breaking up an inbounds pass intended for him as time expired, Durant declined to go into specifics but credited his former teammate for making the play.
Why did Green feel compelled to wrangle Durant into the bubbling conflict between he and Nurkic, then? Maybe he's just still bitter about Durant agreeing with Nurkic back in December that Green “needs help.” Maybe their relationship, especially from Green's perspective, wasn't fully repaired by that 2021 sitdown in the manner both parties made it seem.
The Warriors and Suns have already met four times in the regular season, Phoenix taking the first three before falling on Saturday. The only time these teams will meet again before 2024-25 is in the play-in tournament or the playoffs. Needless to say, cross your fingers for the standings breaking right come spring, pitting Green against Durant and Nurkic under even more contentious, meaningful circumstances.
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