Kevin Durant Says Free Agency Won't Be Affected By Draymond Green Confrontation

In his first one-on-one interview since an on-court confrontation with Draymond Green, Kevin Durant revealed the incident has no effect on his impending free agency next year.

Durant confronted Green earlier this month during their overtime defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers after the latter lost the ball instead of passing to him for what could have been the game-winning shot in regulation time.

The confrontation made huge headlines, particularly for what was reportedly said by Green. The 28-year-old was said to have challenged Durant over his free agency while Yahoo reported Green repeatedly called him a "b---h" during the exchange.

The Athletic, meanwhile, reported Green said, "Who the f--k you talking to?" in response to Durant.

Green was eventually suspended for one game for “conduct detrimental to the team” as many speculated this could be the incident that eventually leads to Durant's departure from the Golden State Warriors next year.

This was further heightened by what appeared to be Durant saying, "That's why I'm out" during the confrontation. However, the two-time champion told Yahoo on Tuesday that it wouldn't factor into his eventual decision and that he has no problems with Green.

“Nah, [it won’t factor],” Durant said. “Because at the end of the day, I’m just a ballplayer that’s just trying to be in a great environment to play basketball and groom my skills every day. And I want to compete on a level that once the game starts, I’m just totally comfortable with my surroundings, with just going out there and being me.”

“I never really felt like it was a problem, because I know Dray and he says some crazy [expletive] out his mouth all the time. But on top of that, it was just that there was so much coming with it from the outside, and so much stuff that we have to answer now,” he said.

Durant, who is expected to decline a 2019/20 player option and become a free agent next summer, was particularly upset with how overblown the incident was rather than the confrontation itself.

“After the game against Atlanta [the night after the incident], I’m like, ‘I need to talk after the game?’’’ Durant explained. “During the game, I’m like, ‘Ah, [expletive], I’m probably going to have to say something about this.’ Why do I have to think about that during the basketball game? And that’s a fight I had to have, focusing on just playing."

“... And that’s what I tend to focus on, but you’ve got so much B.S. that’s being thrown your way that I didn’t create. If I created all of this stuff, then I couldn’t be out here talking like this, but I didn’t create any of this. I’m just out here playing,” he added.

Despite the situation coinciding with a poor run for the Warriors who have lost five of their last seven games and dropped down from the top spot in the Western Conference, the 30-year-old believes recent problems could bring the team together and galvanize them.

“When you go through some adversity in your personal relationships and you kind of lay everything out on the table with that human, that person, you start to just really get an understanding for everything,” Durant added. “… I feel like we’ll all do that at some point. Not just me and Draymond, but I feel like just being with these guys for so long that you start to get comfortable.”

The Warriors will look to snap a three-game losing run when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, the first of a four-game run at home.