Over the course of the 2018-19 season, it became apparent that Kevin Durant was less socially engaged with his Warriors teammates than he was in his first two seasons. His numbers generally held up, but there was a visible dip in his non-basketball engagement.
Quinn Cook was an exception. KD’s bond with Quinn, which dates back to childhood, never cooled. Their lockers were side-by-side, and the brotherhood served a palliative purpose.
After the November blowup in Los Angeles between Draymond Green and Durant, which temporarily affected team performance and increased speculation regarding KD’s future plans, it became evident the back-to-back Finals MVP was facing a daily quandary.
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“I’m not going to just blame the media,” Cook told NBC Sports Bay Area this week. “It was hard, man, because he could have an efficient game: 24 points, 9-for-11, and the first question he’s getting is, ‘Why are you’re only shooting 11 shots? Does this mean you’re not coming (back)?’
“There was no winning.”
That’s because Durant wasn’t comfortable saying he was leaving, because he wanted to reserve the right to stay and was concerned how such a declaration would impact the team. He didn’t feel comfortable staying he was staying, either, because he at least wanted to explore options.
So, KD stayed silent on his future, which also resulted in unease -- particularly with Draymond, who had been so influential in recruiting Durant in 2016.
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Durant acknowledges that he left the Oklahoma City Thunder for Golden State for several reasons, including the desire to explore how high he could go with such teammates as Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Green.
And as his third season as a Warriors went on, dragged on, really, KD was feeling a bit like an outcast. Moreover, he also knew nothing he expressed would bring tranquility to the anxiety.
“There was no winning,” Cook repeated. “One thing I’ll commend him for is he never let it (affect) what he did on court. He was locked in every day. He knows he could score 40 or 45, take every shot. But he knows we were a better team when Klay is going, when Draymond is streaking, playing pick-and-roll and looking for Steph. So, he was all in. He was all in.”
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Durant averaged 25.1 points per game in his first season as a Warrior and was pleased with the results. He averaged 26.4 in his second, when issues began to surface. Amid the agitation of his third season, he averaged 26.0, shooting 52.1 percent (second-best of his career) from the field but only 35.3 percent (lowest since 2010-11) from deep.
“He was so dialed in on winning three in a row,” Cook said of Durant. “He's was so dialed in on being with this team, leading this team, helping our young guys again and trying to figure out ways to be more effective with Steph. (Durant) is a basketball savant."
“Obviously, he knows what comes with being Kevin Durant, the superstar,” Cook added. “Everybody wants to know where you’re (going) next. He was just annoyed with, ‘Why can’t we focus on this year, and we’ll get to that bridge when we get there?’”
Cook’s relationship with Durant goes back to their youth in Prince Georges County, Md., where they grew up playing basketball at local parks and gyms. That culture is chronicled in “Basketball County: In The Water,” a Showtime documentary featuring both men and other NBA players from that region. It premieres Friday night at 9 p.m. PT.
Little changed between KD and Quinn when Durant, who is four years older, left in 2006 to attend the University of Texas. The “PG County” connection remained when Cook left for Duke in 2011.
Which is to say Cook, who spent most of two seasons with the Warriors, knew KD better than anybody on the roster. They have the mutual trust that comes with being friends for most of their lifetimes, from the days when neither had much to the nights of NBA glory.
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Their last season as Warriors teammates ended painfully, losing The Finals to the Toronto Raptors.
“We didn’t predict him getting hurt (against in the Western Conference semifinals against Houston),” Cook said of Durant. “But for him to come back -- he sacrificed the whole season just to put us in position to win [The Finals]. I know the organization appreciated him trying to get back and help us win a championship.”
It’s reasonable to believe the Warriors -- even through the turmoil -- could have prevailed over the Raptors if not for serious injuries that sidelined Durant and Thompson.