Kevin Durant is not into gossip, especially when it revolves around him and his team. The 36-year-old superstar for the Phoenix Suns addressed rumors of the team having a toxic environment in the locker room during a recent chat with the media ahead of their showdown against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
Advertisement
Durant even name-dropped the reporter who claimed that the Suns locker room was toxic, Ramona Shelburne. The 15-time All-Star explained that it’s hard for anyone to see how connected the players are with each other when they only come into the locker room 45 minutes before a game starts.
“Four or five guys might be in the training room, a few guys might be in the weight room. it’s not a welcoming environment right before the game. That’s part of getting ready to play. I think it’s unfair and lazy to categorize our team as toxic when you come in there for five minutes throughout four months. That’s the only time you’ve been in our locker room and then you can make a narrative?” Durant said.
Kevin Durant on ESPN report that Suns locker room has been “toxic”: “Yeah, I heard Ramona Shelburne come out and say our locker room is toxic. I try to tell people who aren’t around this game much is that it’s easy to say our locker room is not connected when you come in there 45… pic.twitter.com/SUkcGHmzGF
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 10, 2025
He added that gossiping about the game is just a part of the business of the NBA. But it’s still necessary to call out these attempts to smear a franchise and create fake discord.
“I don’t think that’s fair to us, but like I said, that’s a part of the game. Part of the business we signed up for. Sh*t is not fair in this game, but we got to deal with it and accept it.”
The hectic trade deadline certainly played into the Suns being perceived as a toxic team. Rumors had been circulating that Durant wanted out until news surfaced that he publicly shut down a return to the Warriors.
The Suns ended up making few moves before the deadline due to three max contracts and little flexibility. The writing was on the wall, but Durant speaking up does show that there is some fight left in the 26-26 team.
Kevin Durant wasn’t the only person on the Suns to address the toxic rumors
Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer addressed the rumors about the team’s toxic behavior during a media session as well. While he acknowledged that it wasn’t a “perfect or easy ride,” he firmly stated that the rumors of the team falling apart are “not true.”
Grayson Allen shared his thoughts on the subject during his presser after the Suns’ overtime victory over the Utah Jazz on February 7th. He described the locker room as “very happy” and “not toxic at all.” This highlights that while some roads are tough, mistruths can come from any direction.
