The Golden State Warriors lived a long stretch of uncertainty during the 2018-19 season, dealing with the anticipation of Kevin Durant's franchise-changing decision in free agency.
Ethan Strauss of The Athletic, author of The Victory Machine: The Making and Unmaking of the Warriors Dynasty, noted how the Warriors were split as to what to expect from Durant:
“As Durant’s decision loomed, there remained an odd split within the Warriors’ ranks. Those staffers who traveled with the team had long consigned themselves to the inevitability of Durant leaving,” wrote Strauss. “Players would freely say as much in off-the-record conversations. Coaches were similarly convinced. The most optimism you might hear was the theory that he’s unpredictable, so who the hell knows, really?
“Even if KD’s mind could be changed, among players and coaches, there wasn’t a whole lot of motivation to woo him back to the Bay. Joe Lacob, on the other hand, still believed in belief. He wasn’t ready to give up. Publicly, he expressed optimism on re-signing KD. Those around him on the higher-level basketball ops side weren’t willing to give up, either. For everyone else, the focus was more on keeping KD happy in the short term, for the sake of winning a title that season.”
Warriors owner Joe Lacob still held out hope that Durant might want to return for another go at a championship, but those who practiced, traveled, and spent time close to him knew that was a far fetched dream.
Durant had grown distant from most Warriors, except for childhood friend Quinn Cook, and that was the ultimate tale-tell sign that he would soon depart for a new venture.
Obviously, Durant eventually chose to sign with the Brooklyn Nets, as he joined Kyrie Irving in hopes of helping the franchise become a regular NBA title contender.
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