Suns owner Mat Ishbia shuts down Kevin Durant trade rumor

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Mat Ishbia said what PHNX has been saying for weeks, as well as Gambo, Duane, Kellan, etc.
Houston can covet Book/KD all they want. It makes sense. Also doesn’t mean it’s actually happening. Enjoy the draft, y’all – 4:05 PM

NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
Could the Rockets trade for Kevin Durant or Devin Booker in the future? 👀
@wojespn on the Rockets’ latest trade and how it helps their search for a superstar pic.twitter.com/lEm091X015 – 3:56 PM

David Hardisty @clutchfans
Kendrick Perkins says the Rockets aren’t landing Kevin Durant or Devin Booker anytime soon because the Suns have zero plans to move any of their top three players. pic.twitter.com/cXojqCeyk3 – 3:47 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Phoenix Suns not seeking Kevin Durant trade as reports surface they ‘want out’ from superstars: Sources (w/video) #Suns azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 3:06 PM

NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
“I’ve always modeled my game after Kevin Durant.”
Which team should draft @Vol_Hoops’ Dalton Knecht? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/sfI5rvXafb – 3:01 PM

Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007
Chet working out with KD & Harden
pic.twitter.com/KPqJ6Me80J – 2:54 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
We’ve been saying on the show for WEEKS now the Suns aren’t trading the Big 3 this summer. All the “reports” you’re seeing acknowledge that neither Book nor KD has asked for a trade. This is posturing, people. Plain and simple – 12:31 PM

Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
It’s fair to say the Houston Rockets just gave the Brooklyn Nets rights to the pick that could become Cooper Flagg, right? Just for the hope that maybe the Suns are willing to trade them Devin Booker or Kevin Durant one day? – 12:06 PM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
If I’m the Suns I’m actively trying to extort the Rockets for Durant right now. Hey, you want a top-20 player of all time? Give us all of our picks back plus two of your top young guys. Their current team is going nowhere. This is an escape hatch. – 11:22 AM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I’m the Suns I’m actively trying to extort the Rockets for Durant right now. Hey, you want a top-20 player of all time? Give us all of our picks back plus two of your top young guys. Their current team is going nowhere. This is an escape hatch. – 11:18 AM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
If I were the Suns I’d be ready to trade Kevin Durant if the right package was available.
If I were the Suns I wouldn’t be willing to hear offers on Devin Booker at this time. He’s 27 and has four years left on his deal. Would much rather use Durant to reorient around Booker. – 11:04 AM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Houston Rockets interested in Kevin Durant, but Phoenix Suns aren’t dealing him: Report (w/video) #Suns #Rockets azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 11:02 AM

Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Windy on First Take this morning says that if the Rockets take Donovan Clingan with the #3 pick, they could offer Alperen Sengun, along with the PHX picks they just acquired from Brooklyn, to the Suns in exchange for Kevin Durant pic.twitter.com/6njHbsn8vB – 10:30 AM

BasketNews @BasketNews_com
Lithuanian prospect Matas Buzelis would invite Kevin Durant to a 1-on-1 duel 👀 pic.twitter.com/D4FQFKH6mj – 10:26 AM

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Houston Rockets consider to trade Alperen Sengun for Kevin Durant sportando.basketball/en/houston-roc… – 10:19 AM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
If I’m the Clippers right now I’d probably be angling to trade Paul George to Houston for those Suns picks if KD is off the table. That feels like a rare opportunity to take advantage of a team that seems desperate (when they shouldn’t be!) for some high-upside rebuilding assets. – 9:40 AM

StatMuse @statmuse
KD and Booker as a duo:
25.9 PPG 27.2 PPG
6.6 RPG 6.9 APG
53/43/84% 49/35/89%
With a 46-23 record. pic.twitter.com/7YD93zwOuM – 9:38 AM

Get Up @GetUpESPN
“[The Houston Rockets] are interested in tempting the Suns to try to trade them Kevin Durant NOW.”
—@WindhorstESPN says all eyes should be on the Rockets at tonight’s draft 👀 pic.twitter.com/hsYlF1rXqH – 8:40 AM

Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Brooklyn’s trade of Kevin Durant netted them:
Cameron Johnson
2023 first-round pick (from Phoenix – unprotected)
2025 first-round pick (from Phoenix – unprotected)
2027 first-round pick (from Phoenix – unprotected)
2028 first-round pick swap (from Phoenix)
2028 second-round – 8:33 AM

Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
Happy Wednesday! Be kind, caring, compassionate, empathetic and respectful to others. Most importantly, put others above yourself.
“ Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served.” Mahatma Gandhi. Have a great day. – 7:36 AM

CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Mikal Bridges traded to Knicks: Just like when Kevin Durant asked out, Nets make their move on their own terms
(By @outsidethenba)
cbssports.com/nba/news/mikal… – 7:20 AM

Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Tune in to hear @TheFrankIsola & @Scalabrine on The Starting Lineup!
🏀Mikal Bridges to NYK
🏀Rockets & Kevin Durant?
🏀 #NBADraft TONIGHT
📻 Listen Live: sxm.app.link/nbaradiolive
📱 Call the Show: 855-NBA-JUMP (855-622-5867) pic.twitter.com/B2aJM0AzUd – 7:02 AM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Would anyone be that surprised if Kevin Durant suddenly asked for a trade out of Phoenix? Of course not. Just look at his track record and where the Suns are headed. Phoenix could recoup picks and build a more well-rounded team around Booker (and Beal because they have to). – 11:11 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
10 Kevin Durant trades that won’t happen and show why the Suns are better off keeping him (including some revamped Rockets trades in light of tonight’s shit show) – bit.ly/3RGEMYP via @PHNX_Suns – 11:11 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
10 Kevin Durant trades that won’t happen and show why the Suns are better off keeping him (including some revamped Rockets trades in light of tonight’s shit show) – bit.ly/3KYk9U4 via @PHNX_Suns – 11:10 PM

Salman Ali @SalmanAliNBA
It seems like the Durant stuff is informed speculation from Woj, not concrete reporting.
Have they had conversations about Durant? Yes, this FO has conversations about almost every star player.
Doubtful that they plan to pursue. – 10:57 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
So the #Knicks landed Mikal Bridges… that’s bad for the #Sixers.
Insiders think NYK still re-signs OG Anunoby.
But the Knicks should now likely be out of the PG-13 sweepstakes… Oh and maybe KD could be on the move?
libertyballers.com/2024/6/25/2418… – 10:53 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
So the #Knicks landed Mikal Bridges… that’s bad for the #Sixers. More bad? Insiders think NYK still re-signs OG Anunoby.
But the Knicks should now likely be out of the Paul George sweepstakes, that could be good news.
Oh and maybe Kevin Durant could be on the move, or so the – 10:52 PM

Salman Ali @SalmanAliNBA
This is the 2nd time the Rockets are betting against the future of a Kevin Durant led team. – 10:47 PM

Brian Geltzeiler @BGeltzNBA
And I feel for Net fans tonight. This is a bitter pill to swallow. They have a ton of draft capital going forward but there are some lean years ahead and the jewel of the Durant will be helping the Knicks win games on the other side of the bridge – 10:38 PM

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Hired a new head coach
Make trade for even more imaginary picks
Officially launch post KD/Kyrie rebuild
That’s how you stay GM forEVER 🕴 – 10:35 PM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I’d much rather have the Nets picks in 2025 and 2026 than the Suns picks in 2025 and 2027. I think the Rockets dropped the ball there. I don’t think pursuing Durant is worth this for them. I think both Nets picks are high. Likely only the ’27 Suns pick is. – 10:33 PM

Erik Slater @erikslater_
All in all, the Nets end up with nine first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps as their return for Kevin Durant… And that’s before whatever they get for Cam Johnson.
One of the largest hauls for a single player in NBA history. – 10:31 PM

Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007
Getting Rockets fans hopes up for KD and then immediately squishing that 5 mins later lowkey a hilarious move – 10:30 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
I personally wouldn’t read into that Woj report about KD and the Rockets very much. Sounded a lot more like speculation or Houston’s own wishful thinking than anything else – 10:27 PM

Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
The Suns paid so much more for KD than the Wolves did for Gobert
I think we’re at 5 1sts vs 9 1sts, some 2nds and Cam Johnson – 10:26 PM

Cameron Tabatabaie @CTabatabaie
Kevin Durant should just tweet this and log off, it might finally break twitter for good pic.twitter.com/esWLJkDrye – 10:26 PM

Adam Spolane @AdamSpolane
The Rockets have internally discussed the possibility of acquiring Kevin Durant for the last three years. Controlling Phoenix’s picks makes that possibility much more feasible, if the Suns decide to move him – 10:25 PM

Yossi Gozlan @YossiGozlan
The Brooklyn Nets got four unprotected first-round picks for Kevin Durant, as well as another player in Mikal Bridges they were able to flip for an additional four unprotected first-round picks.
That KD trade was a generational haul. – 10:22 PM

Yossi Gozlan @YossiGozlan
The Brooklyn Nets got four unprotected first-round picks for Kevin Durant, as well as another player in Mikal Bridges they were able to flip for an additional four unprotected first-round picks.
That KD trade was a generation haul. – 10:21 PM

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
As intrigued as the Rockets have been about Durant, they’re determined to use the Suns picks to be aggressive on deals elsewhere now, sources tell ESPN. Phoenix has made it clear that they want to run it back with this group, and Houston is seeking a major upgrade now. – 10:19 PM

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
The implications of the Rockets landing the Suns’ picks? Houston wants to trade for Kevin Durant and that becomes far easier if they can return the Suns’ picks that they gave up in the Durant deal to the Nets. Suns have said they’re keeping Durant for now, but that could change – 10:15 PM

Matthew Tynan @Matthew_Tynan
Ngl the Nets cooked. They traded Kevin Durant in return for, essentially, Cam Johnson, eight (8!) unprotected firsts and one protected first. – 10:11 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
We’re going live on @PHNX_Suns! Let’s talk about what teams would hypothetically be able to trade for Kevin Durant, why the Suns are keeping him, and some draft tidbits heading into tomorrow:
youtube.com/live/el2t6GpRg… – 5:57 PM