It appears that Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant got his wish last week with the firing of head coach Frank Vogel after just one season.
Vogel’s firing came following an ugly first-round sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Playoffs. It also came amid some reported drama in the desert.
Speaking on Monday’s episode of “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith relayed some information from within the Suns’ organization. It does not paint KD in the best of lights.
“Kevin Durant — in Phoenix — is a problem. It is a problem. We don’t see it, because, the stats are there. Him and (Devin) Booker averaged 27 points per game,” Smith noted on Monday. “They say, Kevin Durant is never happy. They say, he went more than a month without even talking to the head coach.”
The lack of communication between a head coach and his star player is going to be a problem. That’s not even in question.
Durant just finished up his first full season with the Suns after forcing his way from the Brooklyn Nets midway through the 2022-23 campaign. That came after a drama-filled ending to his three-year run with the Golden State Warriors. There could certainly be a theme here.
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Will Kevin Durant force a trade from the Phoenix Suns?
Suns owner Mat Ishbia made it clear after their first-round exit that the big three of Durant, Booker and Bradley Beal will be back for another season. Hiring championship-winning head coach Mike Budenholzer to replace Vogel seemingly adds another layer to this.
With that said, star players have forced trades on a near never-ending loop over the past several seasons. Durant would be no different.
- Kevin Durant stats (2023-24): 27.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 5.0 APG, 52% shooting
We also know that there were reports of Durant being unhappy with the direction of the Suns this past regular season.
As enigmatic as any star player in the Association, it certainly would not be a surprise if KD did request a trade this summer. Whether hiring Budenholzer to replace Vogel changes the dynamics remains to be seen.