Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant has been swept twice in his last three playoffs, and both were in the first round. With the Brooklyn Nets, the 14-time All-Star lost four straight to the Boston Celtics in 2022.
Durant, 35, was then swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday with Phoenix, losing 122-116 at Footprint Center in Game 4. The 16-year veteran went 13 straight seasons without a sweep from 2007-08 to 2020-21.
This is most concerning considering Durant’s large contract. He’s earning $46.4 million this season and is slated to make $49.8 million in 2024-25 and $53.2 million in 2025-26.
All of this is part of the four-year, $194.2 million deal he signed with Brooklyn in August 2021. While one could argue that Durant has earned every penny based on his performances, getting swept in the playoffs is never a good look.
KD has been swept twice in the last 3 playoffs.
Both in the first round. pic.twitter.com/MvLFJOUFof
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 29, 2024
When asked about his future, Durant insinuated that he enjoys playing with Phoenix.
Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker will make $150 million in the 2024-25 season
Durant, Beal, and Booker are slated to make a combined $150 million next season, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The Suns were minus-51 when the superstar trio shared the floor in this series, per the Basketball-Reference database.
Although the Suns defeated Minnesota in all three regular-season matchups, they were swept in a best-of-seven series for the first time since the 1989 Western Conference Finals.
In February 2023, the Suns acquired Durant in a trade with Brooklyn that involved sending away first-round draft picks in 2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029.
Phoenix gave the Nets a 2028 pick swap as well.
Last offseason, the Suns then sent six second-round picks (2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2030) and multiple pick swaps (2024, 2026, 2028 and 2030) to the Washington Wizards for Beal.
Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant will earn $150M next season.
The salary of the three players is more than 14 teams total payroll in 2024-25.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) April 27, 2024
“It’s disappointing,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. “There’s no other way to put it. There’s no worse professional feeling in the world than getting swept in the NBA playoffs. I’ve never been a part of it. I feel pretty low right now. I want to speak to our fans directly and say, I share your passion.
“I’m as disappointed as y’all are. I share that with you all. But we got beat by a better team this year. … But this league is loaded with firepower. … The top 10 teams in the Western Conference are loaded with talent as well. We’ve got to evaluate and figure out ways we can get better.”
According to Spotrac, the Suns will enter this offseason with $209 million in salary, the biggest payroll of any NBA team, and a projected luxury tax penalty of $116 million.
For Phoenix to win a championship with Kevin Durant, the Suns will have to retool their roster once again.
