Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant fired back at Iman Shumpert over his continued frustration with Durant's decision to join the Golden State Warriors in 2016, while also dragging Gilbert Arenas into the exchange with a stray shot.

Durant responded in a now-deleted post after Shumpert discussed the move during a recent episode of Arenas' “Gil's Arena” podcast. Shumpert blamed Durant for potentially costing him two additional championships with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“Toughen up shorty. Thanks for taking care of that man Gil, he was dead in the water,” Durant wrote.

The post quickly circulated across social media despite Durant deleting it.

Shumpert's comments came during a discussion about Durant leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder to sign with Golden State following the 2015-16 season. The Warriors had just eliminated Durant and the Thunder in the Western Conference finals before losing to Shumpert's Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

Iman Shumpert says Kevin Durant leaving Oklahoma City for the Golden State Warriors in 2016 cost him TWO NBA championships 🏆🏆🗣️

“You the reason I missed out on two rings, dog. It was your fault how you went & joined some ni**as that didn’t need you. They didn’t need you!”… pic.twitter.com/eA2h1xSaTi

— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) September 17, 2026

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“It still bothers me to hear that. Now coming from K, it’s like K you the reason I missed out on two rings, dog,” Shumpert said. “It was your fault like you went and joined some n***as that didn’t need you. They didn’t need you!”

Durant's arrival drastically shifted the NBA championship picture. Golden State met Cleveland in each of the next two NBA Finals, winning the championship in 2017 and 2018. Durant earned NBA Finals MVP honors in both series.

Shumpert had already won a championship with Cleveland in 2016 after the Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit against Golden State.

The former Cavaliers guard's frustration centered on what could have happened had Durant not joined the Warriors. Durant, however, made it clear in his deleted response that he had little sympathy for Shumpert's complaints — and managed to bring Arenas into the conversation along the way.