Former Suns forward Kevin Durant calls out ‘poison’ narrative from fan on X

HOUSTON — Kevin Durant doesn’t shy away from defending himself or calling people out, and on Friday, he pushed back against a fan on social media who painted his previous stint with the Phoenix Suns as “poison” for the franchise.

Mar 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) leaves the court after the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 15-time All-Star spent three seasons in the Valley, and during that stretch, the Suns experienced both highs and lows but were unable to capitalize on having a future Hall of Famer in their lineup to reach the heights they achieved in 2021 — the season they reached the NBA Finals.

That disappointment has lingered with some basketball fans, including X user @thejokernba, who blamed Durant for what is currently happening with the Houston Rockets — Durant’s current team after being dealt to Texas last summer.

The post eventually caught Durant’s attention, and he responded firmly with a message aimed directly at the Houston fan base.

“I see the motive joker. Don’t fall for it rockets fans,” he responded.

Jan 5, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) dribbles against Phoenix Suns forward Royce O’Neale (00) in the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

After finding success with other teams in his career, Durant’s arrival in Phoenix was meant to provide the Suns with additional star power to complement Devin Booker. Instead, Durant’s tenure in the desert has been met with mixed emotions from Suns fans as the years have gone by.

Brought in to help deliver a long-elusive championship to a passionate Phoenix fan base, the organization secured one playoff series victory during the Durant era.

Durant has consistently felt he was used as a scapegoat for the team falling short of expectations and struggling, a sentiment he alluded to after his go-ahead 3-point shot lifted Houston to a 100-97 win over Phoenix on Jan. 5.

Jan 5, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets Kevin Durant (7) celebrates his three point winning basket against the Phoenix Suns in the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

“It feels good to play against a team that booted you out of the building and scapegoated you for all the problems they had,” Durant said postgame, according to Arizona Central’s Duane Rankin.

What many fans envisioned as a perfect alignment of homegrown star power and championship aspirations never became reality. Injuries, roster overhauls and disappointing results ultimately prevented that Suns team from taking the next step.

Feb 11, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) look on against the Memphis Grizzlies during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

While every side has its own version of what went wrong during Durant’s time in the desert, one thing remains clear: Durant will continue to defend himself publicly, whether in front of the media or online, regardless of who challenges his legacy.

*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde

Former Suns forward Kevin Durant calls out ‘poison’ narrative from fan on X

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