The seeds for Kevin Durant’s Warriors exit were planted long before he ruptured his Achilles during this year’s NBA finals.

Durant’s friend and former teammate Kendrick Perkins told The Undefeated that he felt Durant had “one foot out the door” during the 2018-19 season because he didn’t feel appreciated by Golden State. Someone close to Durant detailed the events that led to Durant leaving to sign with the Nets. And the most noteworthy reason played out in front of the entire world.

During the Warriors’ championship parade ceremony last season, general manager Bob Myers tried a joke about Durant’s contract situation that didn’t land. Myers and Steve Kerr were standing alongside television play-by-play man Bob Fitzgerald.

“I heard you tell Kevin Durant he could have whatever contract he wants next year,” Fitzgerald said to Myers.

“That was just for the media. He can’t have anything like that at all,” Myers said. Kerr interjected: “Mid-level.”

“I think last year you told Steph (Curry) he could have any contract he wants, too,” Fitzgerald said.

“Yeah, that was different. He’s been here from the way-before days. He’s earned it,” Myers replied. Awkwardness ensued. Curry looked at Durant, who tried to laugh it off but clearly wasn’t amused by what was happening.

“And there ended the Warriors’ cohesion, right there,” Fitzgerald said.

Durant was also bothered by being second fiddle to Curry and the perception he jumped on the Warriors’ championship bandwagon, with Curry constantly getting “MVP” chants from the home crowd. There was also Durant’s spat with Draymond Green on the Warriors’ bench on Nov. 12, caught by television cameras, with Green reportedly taunting Durant and reminding him that Golden State won a title without him.

“All that showed a lack of respect for one of the greatest players to put that uniform on and the fact that he took all that abuse and still put his career on the line to help them win,” a source close to Durant told The Undefeated.

Perkins added, “It was time for him to leave Golden State. They were taking him for granted.”