Kevin Durant Gets Into Awkward, Heated Social Media Exchange With Suns Owner

Kevin Durant fired back at Mat Ishbia after the Phoenix Suns owner stated that acquiring elite talent does not ensure NBA titles.

Kevin Durant Gets Into Awkward, Heated Social Media Exchange With Suns Owner

Mat Ishbia and Kevin Durant (Image credits - Yahoo Sports and CNN)

Things haven’t gone according to plan for Kevin Durant in terms of team achievements since he left the Golden State Warriors. After winning two championships with the Warriors, Durant hasn’t advanced past the second round in the last six seasons.

After leaving the Dubs, Durant had a tumultuous two-and-a-half-season stint with the Brooklyn Nets. At the 2023 trade deadline, the Nets traded him to the Phoenix Suns. The move put him alongside Devin Booker in Phoenix.

With championship expectations, the Suns faltered when it mattered the most in the playoffs. Unfortunately, they were eliminated in the first round in 2024 before missing the playoffs the following year.

The Suns hit the reset button and broke their superteam by trading Durant to the Houston Rockets. Suns owner Mat Ishbia revealed that the two-time champion was not a part of their future plans after the trade.

Mat Ishbia recently reflected on his early moves and said that bringing in super-talented players like Durant doesn’t guarantee championships. After his comments, Durant responded to the Suns’ majority owner on X.

#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.

Kevin Durant on X

Ishbia purchased the organization for $4 billion in 2023 and has been a passionate supporter since. He has gotten into some rough moments on the court with the likes of Nikola Jokic in the past and now it looks like he is a rough off the court moment with his former player.

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Kevin Durant takes wild Bradley Beal shot at Mat Ishbia during online tiff

After a second-round exit in 2023, the Suns had some positives: they were the only team to take the eventual champions, the Denver Nuggets, to six games in the playoffs. With Durant having played just half a season and Bradley Beal joining in the offseason, expectations were championship or bust for the Suns.

However, they struggled even more, suffering a first-round exit in 2024 before missing the playoffs altogether the following year. Durant’s move ended his difficult time in Phoenix and even his poor relationship with the fanbase.

Following Durant’s response, Ishbia defended his comments and said that he wasn’t blaming him for their poor results. However, the 38-year-old took another jab at the owner by referencing Beal.

U should be giving Thanks every chance u get. You don’t have to pay me an absurd amount of money to play for another team.

Kevin Durant on X

While he didn’t name Beal, it is fair to assume he was referring to the three-time All-Star. The Suns bought out Beal last year, with the star giving up $13.88 million of the $110.8 million remaining on his deal.

The franchise later stretched the remaining $96.9 million over five years to help their cap situation and avoid luxury tax penalties. Beal is currently on a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Kevin Durant takes shots at a New York Knicks fan on X

Kevin Durant is undoubtedly one of the best players to ever play the game. However, he is also well known for getting at it with fans on social media and also faced some allegations related to a burner account a few months ago.

Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant (Image credits – Bleacher Report)

After his back-and-forth with Ishbia, Durant was seen responding to a New York Knicks fan on X. The fan claimed that the Suns regressed after Durant joined them, as they made it to the NBA Finals a few years before. Durant responded,

They were actually a 500. Team with internal problems before I got there but you’re a Knicks fan, u wouldn’t know.

Kevin Durant on X

The Suns did reach the NBA Finals in 2021 before a second-round exit in 2022. However, they declined in the first half of the 2022-23 campaign until the former MVP arrived.

Durant will be looking to end his championship drought next year in his second season in Houston. The Rockets have a strong and young roster; hence, many expect an improved team in the 2026-27 campaign.

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