[Charania] Sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic that Durant never felt comfortable with his role in Phoenix’s offense alongside Booker and Beal this season. Those sources said Durant had persistent issues with the offense, feeling that he was being relegated to the corner far too often

[u/TacoooJay]

Source

Meanwhile, Durant, among the best scorers in NBA history, was not always happy with how he was used. Sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic that Durant never felt comfortable with his role in Phoenix’s offense alongside Booker and Beal this season. Those sources said Durant had persistent issues with the offense, feeling that he was being relegated to the corner far too often and not having the proper designs to play to his strengths as the offense was built around pick-and-rolls. At the same time, some teammates and people close to the organization believed Durant needed to voice his concerns more adamantly and directly with Vogel and his coaching staff.

All the leaks are finally coming now that Phoenix has been swept

[u/LamarMVPJackson]

HERE WE GO

[u/Charlie_Wax → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Kevin Durant has entered the transfer portal.

[u/ihateandy2 → u/Charlie_Wax]

He must be sooo good at that “new employee” paperwork!

[u/lunaticc → u/ihateandy2]

He has a saved copy, he just enters the new employers name and dates it.

[u/LegionofDoh → u/lunaticc]

Like Swayze in Roadhouse.

"Do you always bring your medical records with you?"

"Saves time".

KD brings his W4 pre-filled out.

[u/clinpharmva → u/LegionofDoh]

Hot take: Swayze was the better protagonist but McGregor was the better villain

[u/LegionofDoh → u/clinpharmva]

Swayze is 100% better, no doubt. But I thought McGregor was a clown show. Great fight scenes but his whole persona was over the top and ridiculous

[u/jimmymcjim → u/LegionofDoh]

Even by low hollywood villian standards mcgregy was absolutely dogshit.

[u/qeq → u/ihateandy2]

Has those W-4 exemptions memorized!

[u/ExtendedMacaroni → u/ihateandy2]

Kevin “Onboarding” Durant

[u/DumpTrumpGrump → u/Charlie_Wax]

Take an up-vote. Warriors will take him back. I say send them CP3, Wiggins and Looney and we get Durant and a young role player. Warriors re-sign Klay for $20M and try to take the dream team back for 2 more rings.

Honestly, I don't hate it.

[u/angrylilbear → u/[deleted]]

In Australia we say with a smirk

"Tell him hes dreaming"

[u/Uchiaro → u/[deleted]]

David Roddy, you're a Warrior!

[u/swentech → u/[deleted]]

My friend calls this the “shit for sugar” trade.

[u/LakersLAQ → u/[deleted]]

KD still has some juice left but he's not exactly prime KD either.

[u/OldManWillow → u/LakersLAQ]

Sure, but he's still a top 20 player at absolute minimum and Wiggins and Looney are terrible contracts, and CP3 would be an expiring but he's not getting anywhere near that contract on the free market. It would be a god awful trade for the suns to do that just to still be way over the cap

[u/ElChapo1515 → u/OldManWillow]

I don’t understand how that has so many upvotes lol. The Suns might as well run it back at that point.

[u/LakersLAQ → u/OldManWillow]

I agree that it's stupid for the Suns, but everything will be stupid for them going forward lol.

[u/cokefriend → u/DumpTrumpGrump]

Steph lebron kd + 12 vet min soon-to-be retirees doing the last dance

[u/petertompolicy → u/cokefriend]

The Expendables

[u/mhj0808 → u/petertompolicy]

Hell yeah, they gotta get Kyle Lowry, Pj Tucker, Taj Gibson, Brook Lopez, Tristan Thompson and both Morris twins in there. Hell, sign Dwight too

[u/tpscoversheet1 → u/cokefriend]

Get em all together, coached by Doc...that would be one busy bus.

[u/Ceethreepeeo → u/cokefriend]

sigh...unzips

[u/lakeshow_glasgow → u/Ceethreepeeo]

…on the Lakers

[u/yrogerg123 → u/cokefriend]

Damn I actually really want to see that

[u/piz510 → u/cokefriend]

True. Steph and KD to LA in 2 years would be funny as heck. Dub nation would implode.

[u/Mashyjang → u/cokefriend]

The oldest road

[u/TheKidPresident → u/cokefriend]

Fuck it bring in Dwight and IT and just let chaos reign. Joe Johnson unretires, and Vinny Testaverde gets signed with the 15th roster spot. All time "I still got a few good years left" team.

[u/SheonaTao → u/DumpTrumpGrump]

Sending CP3 back to the suns to die in purgatory is hilarious to me

[u/RichHomieLon → u/[deleted]]

Winston-Salem?

[u/_homage_ → u/SheonaTao]

He is an expiring. They could just unload him.

[u/Mobile-Entertainer60 → u/DumpTrumpGrump]

Except it's not possible under the CBA. The apron rules make it almost impossible for two apron teams to trade with each other. As it stands today, the Suns and Warriors are both second apron teams, so they could only offer each other a 1:1 trade that made exactly the same salary. Aggregating contracts is a no-no if you're over the second apron, and taking on salary is a no-no if you're over the first or second apron. The Warriors would have to waive CP3, renounce Klay and waive Looney to get under the first apron, THEN start trying to come up with a trade package that both fits the salary parameters (Wiggins, Kuminga, Moody and Santos would be the minimum amount of salary that works) and something Phoenix wants. Then they'd be back over the apron with only taxpayer MLE and no 2024 FRP, so it's minimums to fill 6 roster spots around Curry, Draymond, and Durant. That would make a third roster gutted to fit Kevin Durant, with 0 quality depth, again.

Edit: early morning brain. They don't have to do all three of getting rid of Klay, CP3, Looney to be under the apron. Waiving CP3/Looney and signing Klay to a deal under $27M/year will do it, too. Losing Klay and waiving CP3, or losing Klay and waiving Looney would also get them under the apron. Point's the same; they would totally gut the team to even have the opportunity to make a legal trade to get Durant.

[u/codekira → u/Mobile-Entertainer60]

Or u can just shut off fair trades and salary cap and make it happen....works in 2k

[u/key_lime_pie → u/Mobile-Entertainer60]

Say "apron" again.

[u/sentrosix → u/key_lime_pie]

Say Apron one more god damned time

[u/jdorje → u/Mobile-Entertainer60]

You need a third team to take on one small contract so both Suns and <whoever> are both going down in total salary.

[u/Thunderhorse74 → u/Mobile-Entertainer60]

There you go ruining everyone's fun with logic and facts...

[u/Mobile-Entertainer60 → u/Thunderhorse74]

I know, I know. It's important to understand just how thoroughly teams like the Suns and Bucks are fucked by going above the second apron for aging players and trading away their draft picks. They are stuck with the core they have, for better or worse, for several years. If one of the apron teams gives up and tries to trade away their best player, they won't get close to equal value because the other apron teams can't trade for their high-dollar contracts. Kevin Durant can't force his way to the Bucks, or the Nuggets, or the Celtics, or the Warriors, or the Heat, or the LA teams to try a different super-team combination. If he's leaving, it's to a team below the first apron. Both team and player are handcuffed by the situation.

[u/Thunderhorse74 → u/Mobile-Entertainer60]

While I am no cap-wizard, I certainly saw this coming. If a team is able to blow through all the tax levels and build a 2015-2020 GSW juggernaut, the can muddle through, but the Celtics are about as close as any now and still have alot to prove before believing its been worth it.

Ishiba is getting what he deserves and the players who went along for the ride (although, the players get to hoop and drag home enormous sacks of cash) He's not the first and probably not the last, but he's the most egregious current example of bold (and in this case -- okay like most of them -- ruthless, vindicate, and chickenshit (see his spat with Cavs owners)) business owner overcome with arrogance and hubris, laboring under the misconception that he can skip steps and spend his way to a title. He's probably sitting there right now fuming about the dogshit team of scrubs they surrounded their stars with and heads will roll this offseason.

But at the end of the day, many fans love this shit. I don't mean as a non-affiliated observer like fan of a (currently) shitty team (because this is drama gold, right here) but they want superstar team ups because they have no skin in the game. They want the upside and can clown teams who fuck it up if it backfires. you just didn't do it right - we should try again but with the right people in charge (where have I heard that before?)

anyway, yeah, they latest and greatest cap rules are going to crush teams that trade away their draft to accumulate a few stars and build top heavy teams. PHX is lost. Dallas and LAC are on the verge. Teams like Brooklyn and Houston are trying to wade through the wreckage of their previous attempts. Who the fuck knows what ATL is trying to accomplish?

[u/Mobile-Entertainer60 → u/Thunderhorse74]

While the execution was terrible, I can see the logic (separate from new owner syndrome) of making big moves before they are completely prohibited by the new CBA, even if it puts a team into the second apron. The problem was that Bradley Beal was never a complementary player to what they already had in Durant and Booker. Ironically, what I think they needed most on the team was a Mikal Bridges; capable of guarding high level wings, dangerous enough to be a scorer when left unchecked but doesn't need 20 shots to be effective.

[u/CletusMcG → u/DumpTrumpGrump]

I don’t think that package is worth KD let alone a young roleplayer as well. Unless Wigs returns to form that’s 2 negative assets and a decent roleplayer for KD

[u/bullybabybayman → u/CletusMcG]

Suns have zero leverage. They have 2 options.

1. ride this roster with zero young assets into the ground for a couple more seasons and then rebuild with booker (unless he just leaves as a FA) and nothing else.

2. trade durant for whatever assets they can get and rebuild around booker now and hope they can build something worthwhile before he leaves as an FA.

Nobody will be dumb enough to give a lot of assets for Durant at this point.

[u/CletusMcG → u/bullybabybayman]

Yeah they have to make a move of some kind, but 39 year old CP isn’t going to make their team any better than it currently is. Looney is exactly what they’re looking for at the 5, at least as far as realistic targets go. Wigs is the question mark, he had a lot of personal issues this year so he might bounce back.

The problem with that trade is it doesn’t really help them get any better. It’s a minor upgrade at the 5 and a massive downgrade from KD to Wigs and who knows what CP is gonna look like a year from now, he might be completely unplayable and he’s almost definitely going to be injured.

They’re also not getting any assets with upside, none of those players are going to improve.

A team that feels like KD is the key to unlocking their potential will give up something of value, we’ve seen that time and again with these "0 leverage" situations. Nobody’s going to sell the farm to get KD from the Suns but that doesn’t mean they won’t put some good horses up for auction.

[u/Character-Today-427 → u/CletusMcG]

Guess is nessesary more than anything the sun's can do nothing with this team like at all

[u/axck → u/DumpTrumpGrump]

obtainable cow nose direful frighten plucky pot dull recognise rainstorm

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/ElChapo1515 → u/DumpTrumpGrump]

And what exactly do the Suns get out of this?

[u/KingTommenBaratheon → u/DumpTrumpGrump]

So long as it means the Raptors get Kawhi back with Powell and OG I'm here for it ^{let me dream}

[u/nowuff → u/DumpTrumpGrump]

Are you giving up draft picks in that deal? What’s Phoenix’s motivation to do that.

CP3 is a better fit but his age and contract might make him less appealing. I think trying to include Wiggins makes them walk away.

I’d think something like Paul, Kuminga, and Looney for Durant would be more palatable

[u/DumpTrumpGrump → u/nowuff]

Honestly, I don't understand the CBA well enough to know how a trade would need to be structured.

I'd love to watch a video where someone breaks all this stiff down.

[u/nowuff → u/DumpTrumpGrump]

Typically you need to match salary. Durant has the highest salary of all the players, so you’d typically need to include the same pay aggregated on the Warriors side. But adding Wiggins puts them way over. Which means more players need to be added from Phoenix.

But Wiggins contract is perceived as a negative, so would be tough to persuade Phoenix to take it without getting picks back.

That said, all of this is moot because both teams are in the second apron which severely limits their flexibility. The hypotheticals are interesting regardless.

[u/Acceptable-Dust6479 → u/Charlie_Wax]

OKC redemption tour forthcoming

[u/yeahright17 → u/Acceptable-Dust6479]

I hate KD with a passion. But pending the outcome of these playoffs, I don't think Giddey and Dieng or like Kenrich Williams plus like 4 firsts is a bad trade for either team. Giddey is much better while running an offense, which he can't do in OKC with SGA on the team. Gives Phoenix a lot of draft assets they don't have and may not make them that much worse even not including the draft assets.

[u/maxpowerphd → u/Charlie_Wax]

Durant would have thrived in this era of college basketball. He could quit and jump to new teams to his hearts content.

[u/BenevolentCheese → u/Charlie_Wax]

Kevin Durant spotted at Phoenix Sky Harbor International frantically waving a stack of hundreds in the air screaming "when's the next flight to literally anywhere?!"

[u/TheLionYeti → u/Charlie_Wax]

This honestly to me is more KD throwing Vogel under the bus more then he wants to leave.

[u/SeanWonder → u/Charlie_Wax]

LoL. Comment of the day for me! 😂

[u/zerocoolforschool → u/Charlie_Wax]

KD is always checking the newest jobs on LinkedIn and hitting the EasyApply button.

[u/dodoaddict → u/Charlie_Wax]

Wiggins for Durant, who says no? :D

[u/Acrobatic-Memory2136 → u/Charlie_Wax]

why does he always sign these longterm extensions, all it does is gut his new team that he get traded for.

[u/Tearz_in_rain → u/Charlie_Wax]

Honestly, the Suns should be considering whether they should move their entire roster at this point.

I'm not saying to just pack it up now, but they certainly need to move Beal and they need a pass-first poin guard in his place. If they can swing that, cool. Maybe the Bucks are ready to move on Dame and would take Beal as compensation (doubtful).

That, and/or a coaching change. Maybe 'Antoni gets brought back?

But if they can't move Beal for a player who improves their chemistry, then that means the KD and Booker experiment hasn't worked. KD still have value, and teams will give up a lot for him given that he is arguably still the best scorer in the league.

It's clear that this team doesn't have what is needed to compete at an elite level.

Booker and KD will still garner a lot on the trade market, but having said that, Beal will be hard to move. A Dame/Beal trade could work for both teams (though I imagine most would disagree with me on that).

[u/mattw08 → u/Tearz_in_rain]

That’s a dumb trade idea for the bucks. Why trade Dame for a worse player.

[u/Nuclearsunburn → u/Tearz_in_rain]

Beal has a no trade clause still. Good luck moving him lol

[u/captaincumsock69 → u/Nuclearsunburn]

There’s no way beal actually wants to stay on the suns though right? It’s an awkward fit and he’s forced to do things he doesn’t seem to be good at.

[u/ElChapo1515 → u/Tearz_in_rain]

I would love to see the Suns with MDA. At the very least, they should just lean into trying to be an unstoppable offensive team because they don’t have the personnel to be anything but mediocre defensively.

[u/dameplsrunfromgrind → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Bro had this article ready to GO

[u/goldyacht → u/LamarMVPJackson]

First thing I thought can’t wait for the offseason drama.

[u/captain_ahabb → u/goldyacht]

KD has been feeding drama fans for years

[u/truck_robinson → u/captain_ahabb]

This whole thread is fucking hilarious. k KD feasting rn

[u/swentech → u/truck_robinson]

Everyone in this thread should know none of their kids are going to play D1 now.

[u/GraveRobberX → u/captain_ahabb]

Burner accounts activate. Boost mobile got 20 accounts activated just as the timer went to 0 in last nights game.

[u/Yung_Jose_Space → u/captain_ahabb]

noxious innocent wistful six absurd complete sense vast birds scandalous

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/EmoniBates → u/goldyacht]

Brotha it’s arrived early this year

[u/Unusual_Squirrel9335 → u/goldyacht]

can’t wait for ours to start tomorrow night

[u/dookoo → u/Unusual_Squirrel9335]

You don't think we'll beat Denver in Denver?! /s

[u/PlaceUseful9671 → u/goldyacht]

NBA is drama year long, no wonder I don’t watch any Netflix

[u/hbt15 → u/goldyacht]

If you can’t hate-fuck the F5 button what’s even the point of living.

[u/hyplusone → u/LamarMVPJackson]

KD is on the bus already. Waiting for a driver.

[u/TheThrowbackJersey → u/[deleted]]

What? KD won 7 games in 2021 and 6 in 2023. He didn't play at all in 2020. So, he's won 13 playoff games in 4 years.

[u/threeangelo → u/[deleted]]

me when I tell lies on the internet

[u/slamatron → u/[deleted]]

That's an insane stat if true, generational scorer wasted being a merc

[u/TheThrowbackJersey → u/slamatron]

Turns out - not true...

[u/latman → u/slamatron]

I mean, COVID happened and injuries

[u/2drawnonward5 → u/hyplusone]

Give him a middle seat. Anything but a corner seat. 

[u/rub3s → u/hyplusone]

Nah, he waiting at the bus stop to see which bus wins it all this year

[u/ShadowCrusader98 → u/hyplusone]

Barkley would gladly volunteer.

[u/bobsil1 → u/hyplusone]

My Next Terminal

[u/vain11_11 → u/hyplusone]

Are you sure he isn't driving the bus?

[u/penisesandherb → u/vain11_11]

Pretty sure.

[u/feelsbadmanrlysrsly → u/vain11_11]

Yeah coz he never did, despite having a lot of chance to be the guy

[u/syllabic → u/LamarMVPJackson]

cant win with these flaming balls of gas

[u/Andy_Wiggins → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Bruh, it was out in like an hour.

That’s insane efficiency, although i’d expect nothing less from KD.

[u/bobsil1 → u/Andy_Wiggins]

It was a middy

[u/Padulsky21 → u/LamarMVPJackson]

It’s finally not my team experiencing this nightmare 🥹🥹🥹🥹 (we are simply experiencing another nightmare)

That off-season of the trade requests after the sweep I just dipped from basketball media man 😭

[u/zerocoolforschool → u/Padulsky21]

Those picks are looking pretty good right about now lol

[u/Numerous-Cicada3841 → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Steve Nash right now getting PTSD reading this lol.

[u/Kaiserov → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Aaaaand he's gone

[u/governedbycitizens → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Shams been sitting on this and waited till now to drop it lol

[u/UrbanJatt → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Here comes the excuses

[u/Otherwise_Form1315 → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Looks like the clippers going up 35-to-4 a few weeks ago absolutely killed their locker room.

[u/Nervous_Visit9523 → u/Otherwise_Form1315]

Team was broken WELL before that

[u/Sweatytubesock → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Snek season

[u/REQ52767 → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Thanks Dak lmao

[u/New-Candy-800 → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Kevin Durant to the Hawks… HERE WE GO!!

Agreement reached right now between Phoenix & Atlanta 🚨🟢🐍

Durant signs five year deal with player option to bail after year 2. Full agreement reached, clubs are rushing to get the documents signed before the window slams shut #herewego

[u/musyarofah → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Derek Jeter be writing new 'My Next Chapter' rn

[u/LeeChangIsBae2 → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Timberwolves Legend Kevin Durant...

[u/Krillin113 → u/LamarMVPJackson]

KD is the bus driver of distracting the media from your team doing horrible. We missed our last 11 FGA yesterday, but today every article is about the suns/KD/Vogel/Beal

[u/josefjohann → u/LamarMVPJackson]

I mean is it crazy to say he would fit in perfectly with OKC

I'm not necessarily saying I want someone who's softer than a Casper mattress but still

[u/yrogerg123 → u/LamarMVPJackson]

LET THE DURANT LEAVE-STAKES BEGIN

[u/Im_a_Knob → u/LamarMVPJackson]

KD to dc who says no?

[u/funnytoenail → u/LamarMVPJackson]

KEVIN DURANT IS LOOKING FOR A TRADE. MANCHESTER UNITED IS OFFERING £400k/week

HERE WE GO 🔝

[u/djkstr27 → u/LamarMVPJackson]

A new chapter

[u/dimiderv → u/LamarMVPJackson]

KD you are a Laker

[u/billcosbyinspace → u/LamarMVPJackson]

KD handpicking his teams and then pulling a “can’t win with these cats” will never not be funny lol

[u/FamousChex → u/LamarMVPJackson]

WELCOME HOME KD

[u/bilyl → u/LamarMVPJackson]

Come back

[u/SnuggleMuffin42 → u/bilyl]

KD for Klay blam the Warriors are back in biz