Suns’ James Jones On Kevin Durant Rumors: It’s Just To Get Clicks

June 27, 2024

The Kevin Durant trade rumors died almost as quickly as they began. First, Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia shot them down on social media.

Then, Suns head of basketball operations James Jones took it a step further.

“It’s the stuff that gets clicks and that everyone wants to talk about, but I think I said it specifically back on May 19 when I was asked are we trading Kevin Durant,” Jones told reporters, via Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “I said no then, I’ll say no now. I’ll continue to get asked.”

Rumors first surfaced on the eve of the first round of the NBA Draft. They said that the Suns wanted to trade Durant “right now,” and that the Houston Rockets intended to make a strong bid.

But again, no dice, say the Suns.

“Everyone talking about the drama and storylines, some are right and some are just wrong,” Ishbia wrote on X. “My turn. Phoenix loves Kevin Durant and Kevin Durant loves Phoenix, and we are competing for a championship this year because we have the team to do it. Gotta love draft night! Go Suns.”

Phoenix went 49-33 in 2023-24 but was swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Durant averaged 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks, shooting 52.3% from the field, 41.3% from beyond the arc and 85.6% from the free-throw line. The two-time NBA champion will make $49.9 million next season.

The Suns fired coach Frank Vogel after one season and hired Mike Budenholzer, who won the 2021 title with the Milwaukee Bucks against the Suns.

Phoenix enters the offseason with $209 million in salary, the biggest payroll of any NBA team, and faces a projected luxury tax penalty of $116 million.

(Ashish Mathur contributed to this report.)