The NBA won’t be back until late October, which is why the rumor mill is already in full swing. It’s a moment of the year that may entertain fans, but it may not sit well with most players. Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant, for instance, is not a fan of the gossip.
Especially when those conversations suggest he’ll be on the move. In an interview with Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, KD broke the silence on the rumors linking him with a potential move this offseason.
“You could just press the ‘KD want to leave’ button anytime you want some attention. Yes, it’s a button. What else is gonna get people going around this time? Besides, ‘Oh, the journeyman is leaving again.’ That story is always gonna hit. It’s hard not to hear what they got to say about you. Because especially when you could just make up lies and everybody gonna believe you. So for somebody to say, ‘Phoenix wants to get out of the KD (business),’ I’m sitting here like, where is this coming from?,” Durant said.
The 35-year-old has been linked with a potential departure from Phoenix as the Suns left much to be desired in the 2024 NBA playoffs, but it looks like he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, KD called out the media for the speculation about his future.
“It bothers me that people lie like that and that the audience eats up the headline,” Durant added. “I get sad when people buy into lies and just make up —-. It’s bigger than ball at that point for me. I can’t control that. I feel for people. It’s a bad practice to have when you just believe anything, for one. Just believe what you see on TV. And then it’s another bad habit when you’re just lying.”
Kevin Durant has yet to succeed with Suns
The Suns made a big move to get Durant halfway through the 2022-23 NBA season, aiming to challenge for a championship immediately. That season, Phoenix lost in six games to eventual champions Denver Nuggets in the Conference Semifinals.
Team owner Mat Ishbia went even further in the summer of 2023, going all in to pair KD and Devin Booker with Bradley Beal. It didn’t pay off though, with the Suns getting swept by the Timberwolves in the first round.
Even so, it’s safe to say it’s still a bit soon for the Suns to give up on this roster, which is why it makes sense Durant stays at least for another year. We’ll have to wait and see how it goes.