“Don’t Want No Smoke”: Responding to Damian Lillard’s Take Over Warriors Trade, Kevin Durant Suggests He Won’t Respond to Trail Blazers Star

During his recent appearance on the BACKONFIGG podcast, Episode 108, Damian Lillard spoke about a range of topics. One of them was Kevin Durant’s famous move to the Golden State Warriors back in 2016. One of the league’s last remaining “one-team” men, the Dame had a predictable take on Durant’s decision. He claimed that he personally would not have made the move, regardless of his desperation for an NBA title. However, Durant has refused to speak on the matter. 

Durant’s move was met with criticism from all corners of the basketball world. Accused of trying to form an unbeatable super-team, KD won both of his NBA rings during his time alongside Stephen Curry and company. 

Damian Lillard claims he would not have moved to Warriors if he was in Durant’s shoes

Lillard has been at the Portland Trail Blazers right from the start of his career. Having sent in a trade request this offseason, he is finally looking to move after 11 seasons in Portland.

Regardless, speaking of Durant’s decision to move to the Warriors, Dame claimed that he wouldn’t have done it. The 33-year-old suggested that KD’s move was influenced by the fact that he had lost to the Warriors just the year before. Thunder had lost to the Warriors in the 2016 Conference Finals despite the presence of Russell Westbrook and KD himself,

“I’ve said this plenty of times before. I think KD is obviously one of the greatest players of all time. But if I was in his shoes I wouldn’t have done that, personally.” 

KD, ever so active on X (formerly Twitter), quickly responded on social media. He sarcastically claimed that he had tucked his chain a long time back, and did not want any smoke with the “tough guys”,

“I tucked my chain a long time ago, I don’t want no smoke with the tough guys. Y’all got it.”

While KD might have a problem with the comments, he spoke out in a respectful manner and refused to take the matter further. The response also suggested that he looks at Dame as one of the NBA’s tough guys, although that might be a result of his famous sarcasm.

Kevin Durant blasted Evan Turner for criticism of the Warriors’ move

KD has normally been quite responsive when criticized about his move to the Warriors. Back in December 2022, Evan Turner claimed that the move had proven “unfair for the rest of the league.”

With the likes of Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green all in their prime alongside Andre Iduodala, Turner did have a point. However, KD wasn’t hearing it, and responded on Twitter with a sarcastic reply:

“Awwww, it wasn’t fair???”

He mocked Evan Turner and was able to communicate his chagrin with the comments with just 5 words.  Of course, fans can continue to argue that the Warriors team that he formed was impossible to beat.