No breakdown of trust between Durant, Warriors as free agency nears

Since Kevin Durant sustained a torn right Achilles during Game 5 of the NBA Finals, there has been countless debates about whether or not Durant should have played. If not that, rumors swirled around the Warriors’ training staff and Durant and whether or not there was a breakdown of trust.

On Monday, Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher insisted that the 11 time All-Star didn’t trust the Warriors and the training staff anymore.

“The indication from several league sources is that Durant is not happy with the team, and the presumption is that it stems from whatever role Warriors’ officials played in his decision to suit up.” Bucher writes. Bucher continues, “Coach Steve Kerr says he was told Durant could not further injure himself by playing, which obviously proved not to be true. If Durant was told the same, it would give credence to the notion that , as one league executive claims, ‘He’s really pissed off at the Warriors.’”

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnaroski refuted Bucher and his article.

“If there were a break down in trust, you would imagine that Kevin Durant’s camp and the Warriors would not be in communication. And they have been in communication,” Wojnaroski said on ESPN’s free agency special. “They have talked.”

“Their ability to be able to talk though whatever potential issues there are trying to go forward; I think those lines of communication are open. Does he stay? I think that conversation has yet to really happen between Durant, (Agent) Rich Kleiman, Bob Myers and the organization. I do think there’s gonna be a point here where they do talk before free agency starts. But there’s no indication that they have been shunned by KD. I don't believe that’s the case.”

All of this is ultimately background noise to the actual fact that Kevin Durant hasn’t made a decision and probably won’t until shortly before he announces where he’s signing, as reported by Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle.

There is no timetable for a decision. What is known is that, after nine months of being recruited through the media by various teams, Durant is intent on not being swayed by boardroom pitches...Sources throughout the league believe that Durant has yet to decide where he’ll land. According to one Western Conference executive, “All I know is that he’ll probably change his mind 12 times between now and the time he signs anything.”

Looking back on the events and the immediate aftermath of Game 5 of the NBA Finals, I believe that Durant wasn’t forced by anyone to play. He’s an elite superstar in the league, arguably one of the top three players in the game. In a player driven league, if Durant hadn’t wanted to play, he wouldn’t have played. The Warriors would’ve also supported him in that decision.

Given the timing of this Bleacher Report piece, it’s nothing more than just another rumor on top of all of the rumors that are rampant during the week before Free Agency.

Believe what you will at your own peril.