Royce Young writing for ESPN.com:
He was going to stay. He was going to plant his flag. He was going to finish what
he started. Anyone who was around the team saw Donovan’s hiring as the start
of a new era, a fresh start and the first step in retaining their franchise player.
Durant felt it, too.What changed?
…But there was always concern that Durant would be persuaded — that outside forces would sway him. Those close to him talk about how he’s impressionable and impulsive, and the moment Durant agreed to meetings in the Hamptons, his future hung in the balance. In reality, he had one foot out the door.
…He said his decision would come down to “who I’m going to be playing with and the people I’m going to be around every single day.” Most assumed that meant he’d choose the people he’d known the past nine years. Westbrook. Collison. Presti. Weaver.
Instead it was Curry, Thompson and Green.
Durant didn’t want to be the leader anymore. The Warriors’ “Strength In Numbers” mantra wasn’t just a catchphrase. It was what he wanted.
This piece gives great insight on what went into Kevin Durant’s decision. It reads that Kevin Durant’s inner circle wanted him to go.
Also, Durant wasn’t enjoying the Thunder’s culture. Colin Cowherd on his podcast on Tuesday explained that Steph Curry texted Kevin Durant and told him that he didn’t care about who was the alpha, but that he just wanted to win. It seemed to matter to Westbrook. He preferred the culture of the Warriors. In Oklahoma City it was a grind, where people people insisted on assigning credit. In Golden State it appeared to be a party, where the host was irrelevant, he wanted in on the party.