Kevin Durant remains an integral part of the Phoenix Suns' roster, with the former Golden State Warriors star hitting back at journalist who suggested he had been put up for a trade by the Suns.
Durant facing trade rumors is nothing new, however with the Suns having placed such a financial commitment on him there was a real sense of disappointment with the return he provided.
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Phoenix, after pairing Devin Booker with Bradley Beal and Durant, felt they had a big-three capable of taking them to the NBA Finals.
What followed was a dismal exit in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, suffering a 4-0 sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
As such, many in the media felt that it was inevitable that change was coming in Arizona.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Rockets were interested in a deal with Phoenix after acquiring future draft picks from the Nets.
On the same day, Stephen A. Smith claimed on ESPN's "First Take" that Phoenix wanted a trade.
"They want out of Kevin Durant right now," Smith declared.
Kevin Durant feels his name is used for clicks
Durant dismissed the stories suggesting he wants to leave the Suns or that the team wants to trade him, citing his own history as a reason why journalists use his name for clicks.
"You could just press the 'KD want to leave' button anytime you want some attention," Durant told Yahoo Sports.
"Yes, it's a button. What else is gonna get people going around this time? Besides, 'Oh, the journeyman is leaving again.'
"That story is always gonna hit."
This sentiment echoes what Suns general manager James Jones said when asked about Smith's comments after the first night of the draft, confirming Phoenix's position.
"It's the question, it's the topic of discussion, it's the stuff that gets clicks that everyone wants to talk about," Jones told reporters.
"But I think I said it specifically back on May 19th when I was asked are we trading Kevin Durant. I said 'no' then, I'll say 'no' now."
Durant is under contract through the 2025-26 season with an average annual salary of 48,554,830 dollars per Spotrac.
The Suns still have that salary on their books and will hope for a better on-court return from KD in the 2024/25 season.
