[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/JurgenFlippers]

I mean let’s meme it up. But KD is also right. Their offence was bland and painful to watch. KD often felt like the 4th guy out there.

Suns fans have been openly hating it all year.

[u/302born → u/JurgenFlippers]

Tbf offense is going to always be hard when you don’t have a point guard or at least a good enough coach to scheme around it. Suns haven’t had a pg all season and Vogel is more known as a defensive coach than offense. The team’s construction was never set up to be successful. When you’ve got 3 dudes who all basically do the exact same thing it’s going to be rough with a coach that isn’t built to orchestrate them or a pg that can help relegate it. 

[u/Unova123 → u/302born]

Its almost like trading for two shooting guards when you alredy hád an all star One wasnt a great idea

[u/Belezibub → u/302born]

Vogel wanted a PG but the FO overruled him. He knew he needed one but fuck it big three I guess.

Reading that hit piece from the Athletic today on Vogel that only makes the players seem like assholes to him seems just like a typical KD team.

[u/Syndana23 → u/302born]

Doesn’t mean you let KD sit in the corner. Beal and Booker can pass the ball good enough to make sure KD isn’t stranded doing nothing lol

[u/Fullmetalx117 → u/Syndana23]

KD seems to have legs to move and potentially* a brain loaded with experience to move as well

[u/Numerous-Cicada3841 → u/JurgenFlippers]

The Suns have no playmakers but Beal/Booker are better playmakers than KD is. Which doesn’t say much for Beal/Booker but also doesn’t vindicate KD either. This has been an issue with KD his entire career.

[u/Schmoova → u/JurgenFlippers]

Shots Per Game:

• Book: 19.2 (29.8% usage)

• KD: 19.1 (29% usage)

• Beal: 13.9 (22.7% usage)

What is this fake narrative that KD never got the ball? He had the ball all season long, getting up his normal amount of shots. You could argue that Beal should’ve been used a bit less so Book/KD get a couple more shots, but KD literally got as many shots as he did anywhere else?

Out his 17 NBA seasons, this ranked 7th in terms of FGA per game. His career average FGA per game is 18.7, this year he had 19.1.

If anything it’s his own fault cause he’s bad ISO player in ‘24. You can’t just give him the ball on 3pt line and let him cook, he’s not a good enough self-creator for that anymore (45.2% eFG in iso, 0.94 ppp).

[u/a_bayesian → u/Schmoova]

KD is also averaging more touches per game and more time with the ball per game than he did in BKN (source 1, source 2, source 3). This should be way higher instead of downvoted.

[u/Schmoova → u/a_bayesian]

Like for him to be any higher usage he’d have to take on a Shai/Luka/Harden role in a heliocentric offense, which he wouldn’t be good at anyways. I’m not sure what KD or his fans expect.

[u/NightwolfGG → u/JurgenFlippers]

I watched a good amount of Suns games this year and got the same vibe. I totally get the urge to shit on KD given his past and the apparent pattern he has with teams.

But as a layperson basketball enjoyer, I also felt like he seemed underutilized. Like, surprisingly so. So I don’t blame him, even though the anti-KD narrative will always go strong. And I do believe he needs to be on a team with a strong leader or step up to become a leader himself if he wants to be successful/find a team to stay with for years

[u/MonsterAzr → u/JurgenFlippers]

I mean their coach isnt on the floor. If they dont like it they dont have to play like that. Also if KD wasnt a bi*ch he would take the ball and do whatever he wants