The Kevin Durant Problem

[Cap]

We have to trade him.

Reportedly we tried and he killed it. Just told the destination team he didn't want to be there and wouldn't give his best.

And it's Golden State, what the hell, KD?

I guess we should be flattered that he wants to stay with us but it just doesn't feel that way.

I suspect he's probably been pushing for Beal to be moved behind the scenes and is pissed that he wouldn't waive his NTC to allow his buddy Butler to join him in Phoenix. It'll be pout central now.

I’d rather see them pouting on the bench while getting blown out than laughing at us.

[Split T]

I actually enjoy KD quite a bit…I think he’s an incredible basketball player and would love to keep him if we had a good enough team around him, but we don’t.

[Cap]

I don’t anymore.

When these guys are laughing on the bench during a loss, do you think they’re not conscious of all the fans who are at that moment screaming and throwing things at the TV and paying them $50M/yr each for pissing us off? How can you laugh while your customers scream at you about the quality of your work? Oh, you have a guaranteed contract, that’s how.

[SunsSince92]

I would've been disappointed with that deal, even with all the picks. Butler and Kuminga instead of KD is just six of one and half a dozen of the other. We'd be smaller with no PF on the roster.

Yeah, I don't know why we started pursuing that option. It's almost as though the Suns FO lost sight of the original goal which was to trade Beal for a better fit in Butler and to partner him with KD and Book. Partnering Butler with Book and Beal would have been even worse!

[Mori Chu]

I personally don't care whether KD laughs on the bench. I get that it may come across as KD not caring, but I do think KD cares a lot about basketball; it's just about all he ever does. He does seem to show up and play hard and give consistent effort. I don't think his attitude or demeanor are the problem.

My objections to KD are much more about his fit with our team basketball-wise and cap/asset-wise. I don't like how he tries to initiate the offense, often leading to sloppy dribbling and turnovers and being stripped and bad passes and bad shots and just overall bad outcomes. KD always gets his 25-30 points, but I don't think his net effect on the team is that positive. He's also redundant with Booker given that both of them are finishers and scorers; it's theoretically nice to have 2 of those guys so Booker isn't always getting doubled, but in practice it's just too much ball-stopping and overdribbling and trying to go 1-on-5 and ignoring and marginalizing your PG and all that bad stuff. And all of this is especially compounded when you add in how many assets we lost to get KD, from the players to the picks to the cap space.

You add in the fact that KD is what, 36 now? And it wouldn't shock me if he suffers an injury in the next year or so, which would tank his value and put us in a real bind as a team.

I don't hate KD but I just want to cash him out as an asset for other assets that I think will help our team more. I think 2-3 1sts, one or two promising young players, etc., and some cap space are a better set of assets for us to have than 36-year-old KD. I really hope they trade him this offseason.

[Mori Chu]

[Kryptonic]

Good spin lol

[Democritus]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/437 ... miami-heat
Durant said Yes to Miami, but they refused because we demanded to much. Woah.

Spoiler: show/hide

Durant would have been open to playing for the Heat, sources said, so Miami debated cutting the Warriors out [of a separate three-team deal that was also being discussed] and dealing Butler to Phoenix for Durant, sources said.

Riley, after all, had wanted Durant for years. In 2016, Riley landed one of the famous meetings in the Hamptons where Durant took pitches from various teams and the Warriors closed by getting Curry to sell Durant on a partnership. Riley had tried again in 2019 when Durant left Golden State for the Brooklyn Nets, but Riley pulled off a shrewd sign-and-trade for Butler that summer instead.

It was there to be done, Durant to Miami, and the teams traded proposals, sources said. But Phoenix, which paid for Durant in 2023 with four first-round picks and three pick swaps to Brooklyn, was seeking significant compensation for the player, who is now 36 and under contract for just one more season.

Ultimately, the Heat felt they would be mortgaging their future by going down the path with Durant, sources said, and they didn't move forward in the talks. The third attempt to land Durant would not be the charm for Riley and Heat

[SunsShine]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/437 ... miami-heat
Durant said Yes to Miami, but they refused because we demanded to much. Woah.

Spoiler: show/hide

Durant would have been open to playing for the Heat, sources said, so Miami debated cutting the Warriors out [of a separate three-team deal that was also being discussed] and dealing Butler to Phoenix for Durant, sources said.

Riley, after all, had wanted Durant for years. In 2016, Riley landed one of the famous meetings in the Hamptons where Durant took pitches from various teams and the Warriors closed by getting Curry to sell Durant on a partnership. Riley had tried again in 2019 when Durant left Golden State for the Brooklyn Nets, but Riley pulled off a shrewd sign-and-trade for Butler that summer instead.

It was there to be done, Durant to Miami, and the teams traded proposals, sources said. But Phoenix, which paid for Durant in 2023 with four first-round picks and three pick swaps to Brooklyn, was seeking significant compensation for the player, who is now 36 and under contract for just one more season.

Ultimately, the Heat felt they would be mortgaging their future by going down the path with Durant, sources said, and they didn't move forward in the talks. The third attempt to land Durant would not be the charm for Riley and Heat

Good. I sure am glad we didn’t deal KD to either Golden State or Miami when the centerpiece to either deal was a 35-year-old Jimmy Butler. That would not have done us any good at all. It’s especially concerning to know just how close a deal with Golden State got to being done. They must seriously listen to all offers for KD and reconsider their stance on dealing him for another aging star.

[ShelC]

I have a problem with the best player on the team laughing on the bench during a loss. That's a guy who's "happy on the farm". He should be the one so focused on winning that he's telling other guys not to do it. That these losses matter when you're 10th in the West and facing the toughest schedule down the stretch. But the others take their cue from him.

I think what I've come to realize is that KD is a workout maniac who's honed and polished his own offense to near perfection. But that's not conducive to 5-on-5 team basketball, which is why the offense stagnates when he's doing his thing. And the more he dribbles into a crowd (there are no defenders in empty gym summer workouts), the more he's likely to turn it over. ISOs are important are certain points in the game but it's taken over his own game.

[Superbone]

I personally don't care whether KD laughs on the bench. I get that it may come across as KD not caring, but I do think KD cares a lot about basketball; it's just about all he ever does. He does seem to show up and play hard and give consistent effort. I don't think his attitude or demeanor are the problem.

My objections to KD are much more about his fit with our team basketball-wise and cap/asset-wise. I don't like how he tries to initiate the offense, often leading to sloppy dribbling and turnovers and being stripped and bad passes and bad shots and just overall bad outcomes. KD always gets his 25-30 points, but I don't think his net effect on the team is that positive. He's also redundant with Booker given that both of them are finishers and scorers; it's theoretically nice to have 2 of those guys so Booker isn't always getting doubled, but in practice it's just too much ball-stopping and overdribbling and trying to go 1-on-5 and ignoring and marginalizing your PG and all that bad stuff. And all of this is especially compounded when you add in how many assets we lost to get KD, from the players to the picks to the cap space.

You add in the fact that KD is what, 36 now? And it wouldn't shock me if he suffers an injury in the next year or so, which would tank his value and put us in a real bind as a team.

I don't hate KD but I just want to cash him out as an asset for other assets that I think will help our team more. I think 2-3 1sts, one or two promising young players, etc., and some cap space are a better set of assets for us to have than 36-year-old KD. I really hope they trade him this offseason.

Well said, Marty, and it does make me think he could be utilized better. He shouldn't be the cog in our offense. Save that for end of game situation or when we really need a bucket. We are at our best when the ball is moving and our assists are high. This stuff is on coach Bud to make happen. It's not all Durant's fault.

[SunsRIt]

I went to the Suns/Spurs game last year and noticed something. Durant was completely unfazed going against anyone on the court, Wemby or anyone. He just went about his business, got buckets and played defense.

[Split T]

I think I’ve realized the nba fan in me likes having KD on the team. He’s a top 10-12 player all time and it’s really cool to watch him regularly….the suns fan in me is not enjoying the experience of this team though. I don’t think KD is the problem, but he’s also not the solution.

[Superbone]

I think I’ve realized the nba fan in me likes having KD on the team. He’s a top 10-12 player all time and it’s really cool to watch him regularly….the suns fan in me is not enjoying the experience of this team though. I don’t think KD is the problem, but he’s also not the solution.

I'm starting to shift the blame to coach Bud, a la Shel. Maybe he has a point. It's up to him to control how Durant plays within the flow. Coach Bud should outlaw Plumlee from bringing the ball cross court, KD from stopping ball movement, KD from making risky passes, box out your man or don't play, among many other things.

[Mori Chu]

Yeah I think Coach Bud has a "relaxed" coaching philosophy where he trusts his guys to do the right thing. But these guys might need a bit more of a barker, a guy telling them some tweaks about how he wants them to be used. Not sure if 36 year old stars want that sort of coach, but it might be what we need.

[Mori Chu]

Despite being out with an injury, KD still getting in some warmups. In some ways he may not be a perfect leader on this team. But the guy loves to play and puts in the work.

[Superbone]

Despite being out with an injury, KD still getting in some warmups. In some ways he may not be a perfect leader on this team. But the guy loves to play and puts in the work.

Spoiler: show/hide

At the Jazz game he couldn't help himself during a timeout and shot some hoops around the basket in street clothes.

[Cap]

Despite being out with an injury, KD still getting in some warmups. In some ways he may not be a perfect leader on this team. But the guy loves to play and puts in the work.

Spoiler: show/hide

At the Jazz game he couldn't help himself during a timeout and shot some hoops around the basket in street clothes.

Some dude in the front row: "We can do that? Hold my 3% beer."

[Wally_West]

I still think it’s 50-50 we actually trade him. I think there’s a world where Book tells Ishbia he wants KD stay and that will be that. We’ll work on an extension. It would be in KD hands then.



BUT…if we do trade him, you don’t have to speculate where. It’s clear where he’s going. He’ll get traded to the LAKERS to team up with LeBron and Luka lol smh . So clear this what all this is leading up to, especially now that the Mark Williams trade got rescinded and they are getting their assets back.

What do you realistically want from a KD trade? It’s what any team trading a star wants, good young players/prospects, expiring contracts, and draft capital. Guess what? Lakers got all 3.

Austin Reaves and Dalton Knect checks the young player/young prospect box, both fit Book’s timeline too. They have 40 million in expiring contracts, so add that too. And they got decent amount of draft assets. We’ll probably ask for ‘27 and ‘31 and that’ll be it. I believe both of us will be out of the 2nd apron in the offseason too so making the trade will be even easier.


Luka, LeBron and KD on the Lakers??? Adam Silver will hold a gun to Ishbia’s head making sure it gets done.

Austin Reaves and Book will be our new backcourt, and faces of the franchise. Knect will take the Grayson role on the team, which will allow us to ship to Orlando for Goga or WCJ.

It’s all coming together for Adam Silver.

[ShelC]

Dallas, Houston, maybe NY, maybe one of the LA teams.