Kevin Durant hasn’t been able to truly contend for a championship since his departure from the Golden State Warriors, but he appeared to be satisfied with his new home in Phoenix. Though the Suns have underwhelmed this season, KD seemingly wanted to see his tenure through, at least until his name surfaced on the trade block.
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Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson recently discussed how Durant was blindsided by trade talks on All the Smoke. Barnes underlined how newer owners don’t always understand the landscape of the NBA or how they should operate. The former forward stated that KD has shown enough throughout his legendary career to warrant a heads-up when his team plans to move him.
Jackson echoed Barnes’ sentiment, emphasizing Durant never had to go to Phoenix in the first place and pointing out how KD and Devin Booker are the only consistent aspects of the Suns right now. Jackson knows KD doesn’t appreciate when someone tries to pull a fast one on him and hopes Durant parts ways with the franchise this summer.
“I hope in the back of [Durant’s] mind, this summer, that he get the f*** on and go somewhere else and get him a couple more championships,” Jackson said. KD is already 36 years old, but the 14-time All-Star is still capable of helping lead a team to contention.
Matt Barnes highlighted how Durant will never let a situation like this affect his on-court play, but the former MVP is known to hold grudges. Phoenix’s decision to shop KD could come back to bite them if the franchise isn’t able to mend the relationship before the season comes to a close.
Kevin Durant could leave the Phoenix Suns this summer
Durant’s future with the Suns was already in question before his name ever popped up in trade rumors. Phoenix has been a mediocre team in the Western Conference since the star forward signed with the franchise despite boasting a star-powered offense. The Suns currently sit at 26-28, firmly outside of the West’s playoff picture, but the franchise’s recent conduct could be the last straw for the two-time champion.
Brian Windhorst confidently claimed that Durant will likely find his way out of Phoenix this summer, saying on ESPN’s Get Up,
“Yeah, [Durant’s] probably going to get traded this summer. He knows it, the Suns know it, the rest of the league knows it,”
The veteran sportswriter isn’t at all shocked by the likelihood of KD’s departure considering the current standing of the Suns.
Now sitting under .500, the Suns have disappointed despite possessing one of the league’s most expensive rosters. Windhorst doesn’t believe it takes an expert to realize Phoenix will need to shake things up after their expensive experiment failed.
