If there’s one thing NBA fans have learned over the past decade, it’s this—Kevin Durant never ducks smoke. Not from media narratives, not from fan backlash, and certainly not from Twitter debates. Love him or hate him, KD stays unapologetically honest, making him one of the league’s most compelling—and polarizing—figures. And now, after his shocking trade to the Houston Rockets, Durant is dominating headlines once again. Not for what he did on the court, but for what almost happened.
Durant’s Warriors tenure was historic, two titles, two Finals MVPs, and one of the most dominant runs in the league’s history. But when he left for Brooklyn in 2019, it was not just about basketball. Back then, the spotlight was fixed on his dust-up with Draymond Green. But recently, Logan Murdock of The Ringer suggested that Durant’s exit, and his refusal to return at this year’s trade deadline, had more to do with head coach Steve Kerr.
Murdock wrote that Durant, “repeatedly complained both publicly and privately about Kerr’s offensive principles”. And pointed out that despite a supposed reconciliation, lingering tension with Kerr was a major deterrent in KD reuniting with the Warriors. It did not take long for this to make it to social media; warriorsworld posted it on X, formerly Twitter. The NBA internet lit up, and so did Durant. The 36-year-old fired back, “We still on this??? Obvious opportunity for Logan Murdock to gain even more attention and try too revive his career by using my name and the Warriors. The audience is SICK AND TIRED of the same bul—- narrative. Be better my man”.
We still on this??? Obvious opportunity for Logan Murdock to gain even more attention and try too revive his career by using my name and the Warriors. The audience is SICK AND TIRED of the same bullshit narrative. Be better my man
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) June 24, 2025
Classic KD, defensive, direct, and done playing the villain. You could feel the exhaustion in his words, a superstar who is tired of being the go-to target whenever the Warriors are trending. And to be fair, there is some truth to that fatigue. Durant has long been painted as the guy who broke up the Warriors’ perfect chemistry. KD just wants simplicity, clarity, and the ball in his hands when it matters.
There’s really no better way to frame it than how Kevin Durant did himself: “We won two championships. And at the end of the day, we had a lotta talent and there was an expectation of us figuring out how to balance all that… It wasn’t always perfect, but I think in terms of, you know, the results and what we were able to do on the floor, that kinda speaks for itself.”
Much has been made about Durant’s supposed issues with Steve Kerr’s system, but that narrative loses steam when you consider how the two collaborated—successfully—on the international stage. Not only did they help Team USA capture gold in Tokyo in 2021, but they were also instrumental in repeating the feat in Paris in 2024, this time with Steph Curry also in the mix. If there were chemistry issues, they certainly didn’t show when it mattered most.
Meanwhile, with Durant headed towards Houston, now it is Booker, the loyal face of the Suns, who is suddenly at the center of the next major NBA rumour. Let us see why.
Devin Booker trade rumours heats up
After trading KD, Phoenix is entering a full-blown identity crisis mode. They got Jalen Green, Dilon Brooks, the No. 10 pick, and five second-rounders. It is hard not to feel like the Suns just hit the reset button. Whether they meant to or not. Devin Booker has been the face of the franchise since 2015, but as Locked On Warriors host Chuck Walter said, “Devin Booker…is the centerpiece. He’s also someone that I do believe Steve Kerr would love to have in the Bay Area…Booker just seems like a Warriors’ guy, a culture guy.”
And it is true, Kerr loves Booker. After Team USA’s gold medal win last summer, Kerr called him the “unsung MVP” of the tournament. As Walter even pointed out, “I think there was kind of a connection between those two, [Steve Kerr and Devin Booker] in the Olympics.” Steph Curry even co-signed the praise on Instagram. Translation? There is real admiration from the core of the Golden State. While no report says Booker wants out. But with Durant leaving, the Suns’ roster lacks balance, the writing is on the wall. Phoenix has made panic move after panic move, and now they are paying for it.
Without a starting caliber point guard, a logjam at the 2-guard spot with Booker, Beal, and now Jalen Green. A defense-first player in Dillon Brooks who does not solve their spacing issues. The Suns have lost their stability, identity, and maybe even hope. And somewhere in the Bay, there’s a team that still has Steph, Kerr, and a few tricks up their sleeve. If KD was the past, could Booker be the future? Well, in this league, nothing stays quiet for long.
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