Kevin Durant, Suns owner Mat Ishbia go at it on social media over failed partnership

Kevin Durant is no longer a member of the Suns, but apparently, he and team owner Mat Ishbia still have a few things to discuss.

And thanks to social media, the rest of us get to follow along.

Durant and Ishbia exchanged some pointed messages Saturday after the Suns owner discussed the franchise’s unsuccessful attempt to build a championship contender around Durant.

As Donnie Druin of Suns on SI relayed, the whole thing started with Ishbia acknowledging during an appearance on CNBC Sport that his early approach to team-building wasn’t particularly effective.

“I kind of just threw money at the problem,” Ishbia said, adding that bringing in a star such as Durant doesn’t automatically produce a championship.

That apparently didn’t sit well with Durant. The Rockets forward took to X, suggesting Ishbia was unfairly putting the blame on him despite his strong individual performances during his time in Phoenix. Then came a rather interesting line.

“Aye, Matthew acts like I got arrested for a DUI or sumn,” Durant wrote, before adding that he was returning to Threads, along with several laughing emojis.

The DUI reference appeared to be a jab at Dillon Brooks, who was sent to Phoenix as part of the trade that brought Durant to Houston. Durant didn’t identify Brooks, however.

Ishbia wasn’t finished, either. He responded directly to Durant, suggesting the former Suns star hadn’t actually watched the entire interview.

“Didn’t blame you @Kdtrey5,” Ishbia wrote, while emphasizing that he was pleased with the culture Phoenix is developing.

He also said the Suns now have the right players and the right focus, before wishing Durant good luck this season in Houston.

That could have been the end of it. But Durant had one more thing to say.

“U should be giving Thanks every chance u get,” Durant wrote. “You don’t have to pay me an absurd amount of money to play for another team.”

That appeared to be a reference to Bradley Beal, whom Phoenix waived and stretched last year. The Suns remain responsible for paying Beal roughly $19.4 million annually over five seasons, even though he no longer plays for the team.

And with that, what began as a fairly ordinary interview about lessons learned turned into a public disagreement between a former franchise centerpiece and the man who brought him to town.

It’s worth remembering that Durant wasn’t exactly a disappointment individually during his time with the Suns. He continued playing at an All-Star level, even as the team struggled to meet expectations.

Phoenix acquired him in 2023 in a blockbuster deal designed to put the franchise in championship contention alongside Devin Booker.

Instead, the Suns won just one playoff series during Durant’s tenure, and the organization eventually decided to go in another direction.

Ishbia has since emphasized building a more complete roster and establishing a stronger organizational identity rather than simply collecting big names.

There’s nothing particularly unreasonable about that philosophy. There’s also nothing wrong with Durant pointing out that he largely delivered what Phoenix expected from him as an individual player.

Both things can be true. Of course, all of this could have remained a quiet difference of opinion between a team owner and his former superstar.

But this is Kevin Durant we’re talking about. He’s never been particularly shy about responding when he thinks somebody has gotten something wrong about him.

And Ishbia, apparently, isn’t especially interested in letting the other guy have the last word, either.