{"id":217743,"date":"2025-10-16T16:52:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T16:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/217743\/"},"modified":"2025-10-16T16:52:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T16:52:08","slug":"kevin-durant-candid-on-suns-trade-attempts-in-netflix-doc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/217743\/","title":{"rendered":"Kevin Durant candid on Suns’ trade attempts in Netflix doc"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kevin Durant has explained the basketball reasons behind why he pushed back against the Phoenix Suns\u2019 attempts at trading him to the Golden State Warriors this past February.<\/p>\n

But we never heard much from the now-Houston Rockets star with the emotional filter put on.<\/p>\n

Until now.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Netflix\u2019s \u201c<\/a>Starting 5\u2033 premiered the second season of its NBA mini-documentary, which followed Durant\u2019s 2024-25 season with Phoenix.<\/p>\n

It revealed a few slices of insight into Durant\u2019s thought process as the Suns shopped him before the trade deadline, before they ultimately decided to retain him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hearing real people that I respected, that are credible in this business, that this (trade) is about to go down,\u201d Durant said in an interview before the trade deadline. \u201cSo I\u2019m on the phones heavy like, \u2018Hold on. No (expletive) way they trying to do this (expletive) behind my back, and they ain\u2019t say nothing to me.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI said, \u2018That\u2019s (expletive) up.’\u201d<\/p>\n

A quick rehash: The Suns were floundering and first appeared to be attempting to deal Bradley Beal, but his no-trade clause had led them to a dead end in terms of shaking up the roster.<\/p>\n

The best option with so much money tied up in their three stars led them to consider dealing Durant.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand the business. I know I\u2019m the guy, this \u2026 is going south, I\u2019d be the easiest to trade,\u201d the 15-time All-Star said. \u201cBut don\u2019t send me to the Warriors. That\u2019s what I was saying: I know if you got to trade me, make it somewhere else but the Warriors. I ain\u2019t want to go back to the storyline and I don\u2019t want to go gut the whole team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to get traded \u2019cause there\u2019s going to be a lot of (expletive). I\u2019ll take the whole team away from the next team I\u2019m going to and deplete them from everything they got \u2014 just so I can fit in there. I\u2019m not going to go through that (expletive) again. Especially with the Warriors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durant had previously explained on Warriors forward Draymond Green\u2019s podcast<\/a> that he\u2019d spoken through backchannels and Golden State star Stephen Curry specifically about his reasons for not wanting to land back with the team where he won two titles.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Durant got his wish to play the year out with Phoenix, but it went further south when the Suns missed the play-in altogether with a 36-46 record.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe battle is to keep fighting and getting up with the enthusiasm that this is going to be the day, this is going to be the possession that turns the season,\u201d Durant said.<\/p>\n

Of course, the non-deal was but a preview of the offseason. The Suns traded Durant to the Rockets in the offseason to formally reset the roster.<\/p>\n

Follow @kzimmermanaz<\/a><\/p>\n

\t
\n<\/a><\/p>\n