During an interview with ESPN, Durant opens up on what may go down this summer and if he is the right person to ask.
Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns staying with the team after this summer seems unlikely. In a recent interview with ESPN, Durant had no answer when asked whether he would be traded this summer, stating, “You gotta ask the front office about that.”
Kevin Durant on a potential trade this summer:
“You gotta ask the front office about that…I didn’t ask for a trade from Phoenix.”
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 18, 2025
Great, sounds like a fun offseason for the Suns this summer, dealing with a disgruntled star like Durant. But isn’t this their own doing? The Suns reportedly looked to have a conversation with Durant before accepting a trade that would have landed them Jimmy Butler while sending Durant to the Warriors in a three-team deal.
However, Durant didn’t want to go to the Warriors and nixed the trade. Why did the Suns even ask him? Maybe out of respect, but it’s a move they should have pulled the trigger on. The Suns are not a title contender, and acquiring a few first-round draft picks along with the Warriors’ young wing, Jonathan Kuminga, plus Butler, seemed like the kind of change they needed.
Now, they’re left in limbo, with Durant’s future uncertain and their championship window closing fast. The Suns took a gamble by building around him, but with this latest drama, it’s fair to wonder if they made the right bet.
The Warriors head coach commented about the trade speculations and why he thinks it was smart for Durant to stay put.
Steve Kerr doesn’t blame Kevin Durant for not wanting to go back to Golden State pic.twitter.com/y8WwCOUTxZ
— Ball Exclusives (@ballexclusives) February 15, 2025
Then Durant had a response.
Kevin Durant explains why he didn’t want to return to Golden State. ️ pic.twitter.com/b0qMuxgCp6
— theScore (@theScore) February 18, 2025
I was in favor of trading Durant for the betterment of the franchise, and it looks like this summer, it may finally happen. But it likely won’t be a smooth process, and there are already hard feelings.
Hard feelings? We haven’t won a damn thing since he arrived—unless, by some miracle, things come together this season. Durant was supposed to elevate the Suns into true title contention, but instead, the team has struggled with chemistry issues. If the Suns do move on from him, they need to ensure they get the right pieces to reset and build a more sustainable future.
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