The Phoenix Suns visited Oklahoma for the second leg of their regular season series against the Thunder. However, with the trade deadline looming overhead, much of the buildup to the game has focused on the status of Kevin Durant.
Advertisement
The 2014 MVP was notably downgraded to questionable ahead of the Wednesday night matchup. Some fans took his absence as a sign that the Suns were putting together a trade package involving Durant. We now know that that isn’t the case as head coach Mike Budenholzer shed light on KD’s unavailability.
Coach Bud shared that the 36-year-old was excluded from the lineup due to an ankle injury he incurred during their previous game. “He twisted it a couple of times in the fourth quarter the other night. Just, you know, he’s sore, can’t go,” the two-time Coach of the Year told Duane Rankin.
The Suns were involved in an overtime thriller in Portland on Monday night during which Durant played the second-most minutes (46) of any player, understandably exerting strain on his body. He tallied 8 of his 27 points and both of his blocks in the final quarter of regulation.
“It was impressive that he finished the other night and you know, we’re hoping that it’s short term. But yeah, he’s not able to go,” Budenholzer added.
As the Suns’ designated closer, this isn’t the first time that KD has finished a game despite picking up an injury. Hopefully, it won’t affect the outlook on his recovery period, but it does suggest that his absence from the lineup tonight is unrelated to any front office business.
What adds credence to this notion is the fact that he traveled to Oklahoma City with his team. Prior to tip-off, the 15-time All-Star was putting up shots at Paycom Center. If he was on his way out of Phoenix, the team would have likely held him back in Arizona as they confirmed his next destination.
Kevin Durant (ankle) pregame. #Suns pic.twitter.com/nqz9cmge5S
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 6, 2025
To be fair, Durant has been heavily involved in the rumor mill throughout this week. Following Luka Doncic’s dramatic exit from the Mavericks, reports emerged that the Suns were actively shopping the ‘Slim Reaper’ around the league.
However, the team that was reportedly in the most active pursuit of KD was the Golden State Warriors. In fact, the conversation picked up so much steam that Durant had to go through media channels that led to ESPN’s Shams Charania who communicated to the world that he had no interest in a reunion with the Dubs.
Since the four-time Olympic gold medalist is only on contract through 2025/26, this was enough to dissuade the Warriors front office as they would only be landing Durant as a short-term rental. Now that they have officially traded for Jimmy Butler, it’s clear that there will be no further talks between the Suns and the Dubs. Notably, Butler’s trade also signifies the end of the Bradley Beal drama in Arizona.
The shooting guard was long rumored to be the primary piece in Phoenix’s package for Butler. Now that the Miami Heat have pulled the trigger on a different deal, the most likely scenario is that both Beal and Durant will finish out the season as Phoenix Suns.
