During the 2024 NBA Draft in late June, rumors were spreading like wildfire online about the possibility of Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant being traded.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Sparking a lot of talk and stir through the world of sports, the most popular idea was that the Houston Rockets were a serious contender who could have completed a deal with Phoenix.
Stephen A:
“I am reporting here: Pay no attention to what Phoenix is saying, they want out of Kevin Durant right now.”
Also adds that the #Rockets do not want Durant and instead plan to make a run at Devin Booker.pic.twitter.com/qD4ehnKFh9
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) June 26, 2024
Refuting the lies, ESPN senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski shut them down by saying that the Suns have no interest in wanting Durant gone.
“As intrigued as the Rockets have been about Durant, they’re determined to use the Suns picks to be aggressive on deals elsewhere now,” Wojnarowski said. “Phoenix has made it clear that they want to run it back with this group, and Houston is seeking a major upgrade now.”
As intrigued as the Rockets have been about Durant, they're determined to use the Suns picks to be aggressive on deals elsewhere now, sources tell ESPN. Phoenix has made it clear that they want to run it back with this group, and Houston is seeking a major upgrade now.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2024
Seeing how big the misinformation was spreading to the masses, Durant himself was one of those who saw the headlines about him leaving the Suns for elsewhere.
When sitting down for an interview with Yahoo Sports after Team USA’s first practice, Durant explained that he saw his name pop up in trade rumors and even though he couldn’t ignore seeing it on his phone, he swiftly denied the claims.
“It’s hard not to hear what they say about you, especially when you can just make up lies and everybody gonna believe you,” Durant said. “You could just press the ‘KD Want to Leave Button’ every time you want some attention. There’s for sure a button, what else is going to get people going around this time? ‘The journeyman is leaving again,’ that storyline is going to always hit. That’s why you see those alerts from ESPN on your phone, oh ‘KD’s thinking about leaving.’ That’s how big that story is which is wack.”
Kevin Durant opens up on dealing with trade rumors ???? pic.twitter.com/Ro7LP8YPQ4
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 7, 2024
Heading into his third season as a Sun, the 35-year-old has yet to come out and request a trade or ask to be dealt despite the flurry of narratives many media companies come out with just for clicks.
Giving the Suns fans a sense of reassurance that he is not looking to be anywhere but Phoenix next season, Durant is committed and locked in while speaking to the front office and everyone around the organization regularly.
“I am talking to Phoenix every day since the season ended,” Durant said. “Our GMs, coaches, everybody, we have been locked in. To sit here and see somebody [and] say ‘Phoenix wants to get out of the KD sweepstakes,’ I am like where is this coming from?”
Even though the Suns were swept in the first round of the playoffs last season by the Minnesota Timberwolves, the trio of Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker all intend on running it back again.
Wanting what is best for the sport of basketball and the fans that come with it, Durant wants people to be more aware that stories like rumors about him should be cast away in the shadows and never taken seriously.
“It bothers me that people lie like that and it bothers me that the audience eats up lies,” Durant said. “Not exactly the headlines because I know it is false. I get sad when people buy into lies, we just make up s***. It’s bigger than ball for me. I can’t control that. I feel for people because that is just a bad practice to have when you just believe in anything. Believe anything you see on TV is another bad habit when you are just lying.
“Don’t let that blind you from what I am doing on the basketball court because that can irritate you as a fan. ‘D*** this mother f***** leaving again?’ Even if I do leave am, I playing good basketball though? What matters, does it matter that I got a jersey on or is it the basketball playing? I am frustrated because I want better for the fans and enjoy their experience but when you are thinking about narratives and lies like that, it’s like d***, our game is way more pure and more beautiful than that.”
KD still has two more years on his current contract where he’ll be paid over $51 million this season and $54 million in 2025-26. Any presumptive trade would require a massive haul for the 14-time All-Star and while some teams could make a deal work, there is no merit to any possibility of Durant departing.
WATCH: Kevin Durant, Devin Booker at Day 1 of Team USA training camp
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, the Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
