Kevin Durant specifically expressed that he does not want to be traded out of the Phoenix Suns, at least according to the former general manager of the Golden State Warriors.
In an edition of NBA Today where the trade delaine is being discussed, the topic shifted to be on Kevin Durant and the trade-or-no-trade drama he has been having the the Phoenix Suns lately. According to former Warriors general manager Bob Myers, the 15-time NBA All-Star told him he didn’t want to be traded.
“I asked him before all this, and I said, ‘Hey, are you good, are you happy?'” Myers said. “And he said to my face, ‘I don’t wanna go anywhere. I don’t wanna be traded,’ and I believe it. I believe he has felt that way all along.”
“But then when you hear your name being mentioned, it was a shock. He’s like, I didn’t push for this, I didn’t ask for this. And then you hear all the people speculating on the Warriors. I think the Warriors did the right thing by honoring Kevin’s request. Kevin could have gone anywhere in 2016. Any team he wanted to go to. He went to the Warriors, and he is the only one who faced scrutiny [for it].”
He went on, justifying that Durant’s reaction to him allegedly being wanted out of the team was warranted and understandable.
“But now, if you’re Kevin [Durant],” he went on. “You’re sitting there like, ‘hang on a second here. I am doing what you pay me to do, I am playing basketball and now I have my name being mentioned.’ I’m not a player but I imagine as a human being, you’re kinda shaken up.”
Despite the rumors and the talks of a potential trade, and with how The Suns explored options to shake up their roster, the franchise ultimately decided to keep Durant, along with Bradley Beal, as they aim to turn their season around.
Kevin Durant Trade Rumors Blamed For “Toxic,” “Awkward” Suns Vibe
The rumors and speculations around a potential Kevin Durant trade, and how KD felt like the team wanted him out at one point, apparently made the environment around the Suns “toxic” and “awkward.”
“The word I would use is toxic,” ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said during Thursday’s NBA Today. “That shoot-around yesterday, I heard, was very awkward, very weird in Oklahoma City, because everybody was on pins and needles, wondering what they were going to do.”
“That shoot-around yesterday I heard was very awkward.”@ramonashelburne describes the current energy in the Suns locker room as “toxic” 😳 pic.twitter.com/YEG01mtLVX
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 6, 2025
Despite this, Kevin Durant has committed to the Suns and as the trade deadline comes, he is set to remain in Phoenix.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
