Five months into the regular season, its clear that the Suns’ Big Three experiment has been a massive failure. While the expectation was to become title contenders right away, they are currently struggling to even stay in the playoff race, stuck at the tenth seed. Many believe that it might be time to blow things up. And it sure seems like Kevin Durant could be the first one out of the door.
At last month’s deadline, the Suns were in active talks with the Warriors for a potential KD trade. Durant was caught off guard and shut down the discussion immediately, unwilling to leave Phoenix and return to the Bay Area. However, Mat Ishbia has made it clear that there might be a roster shakeup this summer, “I still believe in our team. I still believe in Coach Budenholzer. I believe in the guys we have. And at the same time, at the end of the season, if we don’t get to where we expect to get to, I’ll have enough data and evidence that it didn’t work or it did work. And then we’ll make decisions based on that.”
Although Durant will turn 37 next season and has a year left on his contract, he is still a desirable superstar for many teams. And senior writer Chris Mannix believes the two-time champ has already picked his next potential destination, “I think—and this is just my opinion—that Durant wants to wind up in Houston.” As per Mannix, KD has immense respect for Rockets head coach Ime Udoka. Moreover, his ties with Texas run deep as he played for University of Texas back in 2006-07 before getting drafted to the NBA.
Of course, the $5.7 billion franchise has a young talented squad who have impressed everyone by rising to the second seed this season under Udoka’s leadership. However, they lack playoff and championship experience, and could be one superstar away from turning into legitimate contenders. Durant could be that missing piece. Mannix added, “I think if the Rockets wanted Durant before the trade deadline, it would have happened… I’d keep an eye on that after this season.” Moreover, the rising tensions in the Suns’ locker room are a clear hint that KD might be ready for the next chapter in his career.
Heated exchange between Kevin Durant and Mike Budenholzer raises concern amid uncertain future
Earlier this week, the Suns suffered another heartbreaking loss on the road – this time against the Lakers. But things seemed more disrupted than usual. During a timeout, Durant was clearly frustrated at Mike Budenholzer and threw his hands up to express it, with a dejected look on his face. His reaction quickly went viral as everyone began speculating major locker room tensions.
Feb 23, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) gestures to the referee for a foul call against the Toronto Raptors in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Sure enough, Budenholzer tried to salvage the situation after the game with his comments about KD, “He’s always pushing us to win. He’s pushing us to be better. He’s pushing himself. He’s pushing us. You know, he’s fighting through a lot.” Obviously, Durant’s frustration is justified because even at 36-years-old, he is playing at an All-NBA level, averaging 26.4 points and over six rebounds.
However, the Suns have failed to stay consistent and are on the verge of missing the playoffs. So, it is likely that both KD and the Suns would want to part ways this summer and look for a more suitable situation somewhere else – maybe the Rockets. Thoughts?
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