Kevin Durant pushed back against criticism of his time with the Phoenix Suns, arguing on X that the franchise already had internal issues before he joined the team. The Houston Rockets forward responded to a user who claimed Phoenix reached the NBA Finals before acquiring him and regressed afterward.
“They were actually a 500. Team with internal problems before I got there but you’re a Knicks fan, u wouldn’t know,” Durant wrote.
The exchange followed comments from Suns owner Matt Ishbia about the franchise’s decision to trade for Durant. Ishbia acknowledged that adding a star player does not automatically translate into a championship, saying he had “kind of just threw money at the problem” and that bringing in “super talented players like Kevin Durant doesn’t necessarily lead to championships.”
Durant had already responded to Ishbia’s remarks, defending his individual performance and criticizing the way the owner characterized his tenure in Phoenix.
“#blameKD even though KD stayed on top of his game at 36 and got u back this ‘culture’ you love so much,” Durant wrote, adding a sarcastic reference to Ishbia before signing off with laughing emojis.
Dillon Brooks, who joined Phoenix in the 2025 offseason trade that sent Durant to Houston, also weighed in. The Suns forward posted on Instagram: “Thanks Matt for cleaning up that stench in the locker room before I came #Culture,” taking a shot at the atmosphere in Phoenix before his arrival.
MORE FOR YOU
Durant’s latest response addressed a separate criticism of his impact on the Suns, with the 38-year-old pointing to the team’s problems before he arrived. Phoenix reached the NBA Finals in 2021, two seasons before acquiring Durant from the Brooklyn Nets in February 2023.
Durant remained productive during his time in Phoenix. He averaged 26.6 points, six rebounds and 4.2 assists in 62 games during the 2024-25 season, shooting 52.7% from the field and 43% from three-point range.
The Suns traded Durant to the Rockets in the 2025 offseason. He averaged 26 points per game across 78 appearances for Houston in 2025-26, while Brooks recorded 20.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 56 appearances for Phoenix, shooting 43.5% from the field and 34.4% from three-point range.
