Despite both Suns owner Mat Ishbia and general manager James Jones shooting down the notion that the team is entertaining the idea of trading Kevin Durant, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith advised viewers on draft day to “pay no attention” to what the Suns were saying publicly, suggesting that the franchise wanted to move the star forward.
Speaking to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, Durant didn’t name Smith specifically, but appeared to reference that comment in dismissing the trade rumors that keep popping up around him.
“You could just press the ‘KD wants to leave’ button anytime you want some attention,” Durant said. “Yes, it’s a button. What else is gonna get people going around this time? Besides, ‘Oh, the journeyman is leaving again.’ That story is always gonna hit.
“… For somebody to say, ‘Phoenix wants to get out of the KD (business),’ I’m sitting here like, where is this coming from?” he continued. “It bothers me that people lie like that and that the audience eats up the headline. I get sad when people buy into lies and just make up s–t. It’s bigger than ball at that point for me. I can’t control that. I feel for people. It’s a bad practice to have when you just believe anything, for one. Just believe what you see on TV. And then it’s another bad habit when you’re just lying.”
Durant will turn 36 this September and could be entering the final stage of his Hall of Fame career, but he told Goodwill that he’s not thinking about retirement yet and suggested he’d be comfortable transitioning into a lesser role during his twilight years as a player.
“I just love to play the game. If it’s a good situation, if I’m still enjoying the game of basketball, my goal is to play this (game) till the wheels fall off, for whatever role that is, so we’ll see,” Durant said.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- Team USA head coach Steve Kerr told reporters on Tuesday that Durant, who missed his fourth consecutive with a calf strain, won’t play in Wednesday’s exhibition vs. Team Canada (Twitter link via Tim Bontemps of ESPN).
- The Suns continue to work on re-signing free agent wing Josh Okogie and remain engaged in talks with veteran guard Kyle Lowry, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter links). If Lowry ends up signing elsewhere – Bourguet suggests a return to the Sixers is in play – then Phoenix would be “more than comfortable” with Monte Morris in the backup point guard role, since he was one of the team’s top three offseason targets, says Bourguet.
- Responding to an inquiry about whether the Suns could trade for Walker Kessler, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 rejects the idea, tweeting that the Jazz have already declined offers from two separate teams that featured two first-round picks apiece for the young center.
- In a story for GoPHNX.com, Bourguet takes a closer look at what veteran big man Mason Plumlee will bring to the Suns, outlining why he’s a clear upgrade over Drew Eubanks at the five.
Durant is going to spend the Olympics with Curry and Kerr, be reminded how much less professional and less likely he is to win elsewhere, and figure out a way back.
It’s one way to keep Curry happy, stay relevant, sell tickets and keep all sponsors happy. Unfortunately it will still be a play in team at best.
KD might be the best and most successful headcase athlete of all-time. Talk about a guy who should have never gone on social media…
Nothing about what he said was wrong though regardless of his past. SAS just straight up lied to the ESPN audience about KD because it’ll get views. KD shouldn’t be punished for ESPNs slow news day
Antonio Brown?
Headcase? Seems like he’s like all of us terminally online on social media, just that you actually see the face behind the post. I’d call him the most relatable, lol.
Utah turned down 2 first rounders for Kessler??? Sounds great on the surface. They were probably protected or projected to be late picks. I guess Danny Ainge knows something I don’t.
Just juicing the market,
I’m betting those 2 firsts were from Nyk who has 2 scrap 1 sts left (heavily protected already and good possibility 1 or 2 of um transmits into just 2nds )
1 distant less protected first worth more which I’m sure is the aim w Danny
Not worth two …..
Lakers need Walker Kessler, rookie contract.
Lakers don’t want Lauri. Lauri has a girl’s name and his face looks like a girl too.
KD should crawl back to OKC and maybe they will forgive him for leaving. LBJ went back to Cleveland anything is possible
KD and Westbrook cam crawl back for 10 day contract on the last day before their retirement, and never before that.
“Lauri has a girls name” is an all time Sillivan comment
Wiseman sure would have looked good in Phoenix……
Valley Suns could have definitely used him!
LOL. Ainge is up to his old tricks. Nobody plays the 2k’ers better. When he’s making a player available, he turns down a lot of great packages of assets, but very few of them were actually offered. IMO, there is NOT a chance the NYK offered up two FRPs (regardless of the protections) for Kessler.