Kevin Durant is over the commerce rumors.
On the primary night time of the 2024 NBA Draft on the finish of June, rumors have been flying that Durant might be dealt away from the Suns, with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reporting then that the Rockets have been concerned about making a transfer with Phoenix.
That got here after the Rockets acquired future draft picks in a take care of the Nets.
On the identical day as Wojnarowski’s report, “First Take” character Stephen A. Smith mentioned on the morning ESPN present that “[The Suns] need out of Kevin Durant proper now.”
Properly, Durant, now figuring out with USA Basketball in Las Vegas for the upcoming Summer season Olympics in Paris, spoke to Yahoo Sports activities concerning the commerce buzz, and he railed tales that mentioned he desires to depart the Suns or that his staff desires to do away with him.
“You could possibly simply press the ‘KD wish to go away’ button anytime you need some consideration,” Durant mentioned to Yahoo on Saturday.
“Sure, it’s a button. What else is gonna get individuals going round this time? Apart from, ‘Oh, the journeyman is leaving once more.’ That story is all the time gonna hit.”
This echoes what Suns normal supervisor James Jones mentioned concerning the commerce rumors when requested about Smith’s feedback after the primary night time of the draft.
“It’s the query, it’s the subject of dialogue, it’s the stuff that will get clicks that everybody desires to speak about,” Jones instructed reporters then, in keeping with AZ Central. “However I feel I mentioned it particularly again on Might nineteenth after I was requested are we buying and selling Kevin Durant. I mentioned ‘no’ then, I’ll say ‘no’ now.”
Durant, who’s hoping to win his fourth gold medal with Staff USA, added that the claims concerning the Suns commerce rumors have been “lies,” and that he mentioned it was laborious to disregard what was mentioned about him.
“So for someone to say, ‘Phoenix desires to get out of the KD [business],’ I’m sitting right here like, the place is that this coming from?” Durant mentioned. “It bothers me that folks lie like that and that the viewers eats up the headline. I get unhappy when individuals purchase into lies and simply make up s–t.”
Durant is below contract by means of the 2025-26 season with an average-annual wage of $48,554,830, per Spotrac.
However earlier than he takes the ground within the NBA once more subsequent season — after getting swept within the first spherical of the playoffs this previous season — Durant will look to guide the U.S. to glory after doing so on the 2012, 2016 and 2020 video games.
In worldwide competitors, he’s averaged 20.6 factors and 5.6 rebounds.
A two-time NBA Finals winner with the Warriors, Durant added that successful one other title continues to be vital to him.
“After all, I wish to win the championship. After all,” Durant instructed Yahoo. “I wish to play properly each sport, like I don’t even have to speak about that sort of stuff.”
