The NBA All-Star Event is set to be held in less than two weeks. All eyes will be on the Bay Area, as they host the annual event for the first time since 2000, and for the first time in the Chase Center. If that wasn’t reason enough for the spotlight to be on Stephen Curry, Shaquille O’Neal just added another!

This time, the All-Star weekend is featuring a four-team tournament. With eight players apiece, three teams will feature a total of 24 NBA All-Stars. The fourth team will comprise the winner of ‘Castrol Rising Stars,’ a four-team tournament that will feature three squads of top NBA rookies and second-year players, along with a fourth squad of G-League stars. If that is too complicated to follow, then all one needs to focus on is the much-awaited reunion between the golden trio.

After all, as part of the competition between Team Shaq, Team Kenny, and Team Barkley, the Lakers legend picked the ‘Golden Trio’ of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James to be a part of his roster. Curry and Durant will also have other big names like Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, James Harden, and Jaylen Brown on their team during the highly anticipated event.

The last time that LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant were on the same team was during the 2024 Paris Olympics. To put the same pair that brought prominent national rosters like Serbia, Canada, and France on their heels would be the ultimate fear-striking combo, right?

Well, it’s not as if Durant and Curry will not be without some major competition. Kenny Smith’s squad boasts names like Anthony Edwards and Tyler Herro. Charles Barkley collected a lethal set of players comprising Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, Karl-Anthony Towns, etc.

Remember how the NBA indicated one day having a U.S. vs. the World format for its midseason showcase? Well, the competition between Shaq and Barkley’s teams might be as close as one could get to that right now!

For basketball fans who saw Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant dominate during the Olympics, a reunion would be heartwarming. For the players in question, however, things might still be a bit awkward. Playing on the same All-Star team would be quite ironic. After all, the duo could not even work out a deal to do the same in the regular season.

Stephen Curry’s conversation with Kevin Durant ruled out a Warriors reunion, claimed NBA Insider

The period before the February Deadline was certainly eventful. One of the most shocking NBA trades took place, as Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis were exchanged for each other (almost reminiscent of swapping Trae Young and Doncic back in 2018.) Jimmy Butler found a new home in the Bay Area. Amidst all this, there was also a chance that a major reunion could have taken place.

Before Butler, the Golden State Warriors searched for a major player who would help improve their poor win record. One name that propped up was that of Kevin Durant! Unfortunately, the franchise could not do much if one party was not interested at all!

A few days ago, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater published a report. The same revealed that Stephen Curry had a conversation with KD about the trade situation. However, whatever was discussed between the duo “convinced him a reunion was extremely unlikely, no matter how much the Golden State Warriors ownership group and front office collectively “underestimated” Durant’s coldness toward a return, as one team source put it.”

In the end, the Warriors pivoted and took Jimmy Butler instead.

Kevin Durant’s tenure with the Golden State Warriors had its ups and downs. While the ‘Slim Reaper’ won both his championships in the Bay Area, his issues with Draymond Green complicated his stay. Almost six years later, any issues between Durant and the Warriors’ power forward would have been forgotten. However, Durant has now settled well with the Phoenix Suns. The last thing he would want is to abandon the team while he can still help them be a playoff contender.

Things may not necessarily need to be awkward unless they are made out to be. At the end of the day, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are professionals. Therefore, they can sort things out during their upcoming team-up event.