Kevin Durant has fired back at the Phoenix Suns owner after he made a bold statement about trading for him in 2023. 

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Durant reposted Suns owner Mat Ishbia’s statement of trading for the former two-time NBA champion and ultimately letting him go just after three seasons. 

“I kind of just threw money at the problem,” Ishbia said in his interview with CNBC Sport. “Bringing in super talented players like Kevin Durant doesn’t necessarily lead to championships.”

Durant then gave his honest thoughts, saying that Ishbia sounds like he did something illegal during his time in Phoenix. 

“#blameKD even though KD stayed on top of his game at 36 and got u back this “culture” you love so much. Aye, Matthew acts like I got arrested for a DUI or sumn. Back to threads 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂,” Durant wrote. 

Why Kevin Durant Was Traded To The Phoenix Suns?

Durant was brought in by then-new majority owner Mat Ishbia in what many believed to be the biggest gamble in franchise history, costing Phoenix high-end young assets and championship pieces Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson alongside four unprotected first-round draft picks.

He helped navigate the team to the Western Conference semifinals in 2023, and even entered the ultra-exclusive 55–40–90 shooting efficiency club during his initial 2023 regular season stretch.

However, structural instability and a lack of depth plagued the team’s championship aspirations. The Suns’ big three of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal struggled with injuries, appearing on the court together just 41 times during the 2023-2024 campaign. 

This lack of cohesion culminated in a first-round playoff sweep by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2024, followed by a disastrous 36-46 season where the team missed the playoffs entirely.

Amidst reports of front-office disconnect, the Suns decided to cut their losses, trading Durant to the Houston Rockets in June 2025. 

Kevin Durant Had Fun But Regretted Things With The Phoenix Suns

Kevin Durant had regrets about his time with the Phoenix Suns, but he believed he did some enjoyable things during his short time with the team. 

“I’ve always had fun out there. I don’t want to undercut what we did, my time in Phoenix, I feel like I had some great moments on the court there too,” Durant said in his August 2026 appearance in Boardroom Talks.

“But I feel as though we were an older group who kind of stuck in our ways as veterans, and veterans kind of like do their own thing a lot,” he said. “When you were a younger group, it’s more of a tight-knit group. They’re all learning together. It’s kind of like a college feel. I think that’s the difference.”

By trading Durant to the Rockets in exchange for guard Jalen Green, forward Dillon Brooks, draft picks that yielded center Khaman Maluach, and multiple secondary assets, Phoenix shifted away from an aggressive, top-heavy win-now philosophy that owner Mat Ishbia initially injected into the squad. 

Last season, the Suns put together a resilient performance under first-year head coach Jordan Ott, finishing with a 45-37 record. However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs via a sweep.

Meanwhile, Durant and the Rockets also lost in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers.