The quest for an NBA championship is never easy. A team needs to be lucky, above all things. But doing everything you can as an owner to put a team in the best position possible is what Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant appreciates about Mat Ishbia.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!When asked about the state of the Suns under Ishbia’s reign, Durant said that he appreciates Ishbia’s willingness to put Phoenix in the position they are in, because other owners wouldn’t think twice about doing the same thing.
This is what he said:
“Trying is better than not doing nothing at all right? It depends on who you look at and who you talk to, (their) perspective may be different. I know I appreciate people that want to put in the work to get on that road to try and win a championship level. And it’s hard. As we’ve seen, it’s tough. But just putting yourself in position to try and do something, a lot of people don’t even try to do stuff out here to be great.
” So, I can appreciate somebody like Mat and the rest of the staff and the whole organization trying to put the players in a successful position to see what it’s like to go on the road to win a championship. Not a lot of franchises do that for players.”
A lot is said about a franchise that goes all-in and fails, especially in this day and age. What Durant is trying to express is that no one actually talks about or appreciates merely putting your team in position in the first place, like Ishbia did when he traded with the Brooklyn Nets for Durant the day after he bought the Suns.
There still is a learning curve for new owners that intend to spend as much money as possible, but are barred down by the NBA’s newest CBA restrictions, most of which the Suns will fall victim to so long as they stay above the second tax apron.
“I think everybody is learning,” Durant said. “From the owners, to the new young coaches. Everybody is learning every day. This is a evolving game. It’s evolving every single day. The business is growing every day. So it’s going to be some twists and turns in this thing but at least you’re in here trying to figure it out. Some people (are) sitting on the outside with advice and solutions, but never got in the game. So at least appreciate people who are in the game.”
Kevin Durant had a great back-and-forth on the state of the Suns under Mat Ishbia: "I can appreciate somebody like Mat and the rest of the staff and the whole organization trying to put the players in a successful position to see what it's like to go on the road to win a… pic.twitter.com/C4aQj64TrT
— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) January 10, 2025
Durant’s comments come off a shaky 17-19 start this season where the Suns, apart from injuries and trade drama, have been seriously underperforming in spots after starting the season 8-1 and being deemed a Western Conference juggernaut at the beginning of the new season.
Since that start, Phoenix has gone 9-18 and dropped from the No. 1 seed in the West all the way down to 12th. And considering the competition in the conference ranges all the way to the 12th seed as teams like the Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors and Suns will all be vying for a play-in spot come April, all Durant needs from his team is to “try.”
The 14-time All-Star has seen it all. He’s done it all. And he, above all, appreciates someone who is willing to do anything they can to allow him to see more than he’s already accomplished, like Ishbia is doing with the Suns.
Whether that means making a trade for Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline (or any trade at all), or simply imploring the coaching staff to put more emphasis on putting the players in positions to succeed on the court, or even the players accepting the roles given to them by the coaching staff, it is up to the entire Phoenix Suns organization to just — give it a try.
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Reporter Connor Moreno covers the Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @cmorenosports, and on Bluesky, @cloading.bsky.social
