The Phoenix Suns are between a rock and a hard place right now. Since new owner Mat Ishbia took over, the team has made drastic moves to improve their chances of competing for a title. First, it was the trades for Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in quick succession, before they changed head coaches in the offseason.
Unfortunately, the experiment hasn’t panned out, and now, Phoenix is looking to blow it up. Both Beal and Durant could be on the move if the former voids his no-trade clause. However, no deal has been made yet, and according to one prominent reporter, it’s causing friction in the locker room.
Phoenix Suns Locker Room in Shambles After Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal Trade Rumors
Since going to the NBA Finals in 2021, the next few seasons have been far from what the Suns were hoping for. After getting walloped by Luka Dončić in a Game 7, where they walked in as the No. 1 seed, the Suns made hasty decisions to acquire Durant.
However, they immediately lost in six games in Round 2 before being swept last season by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The fall has continued into this season as well, as they currently sit at the 10th spot in a jam-packed Western Conference with a 25-25 record.
As a result, rumors about trades have been rampant — and it has divided the locker room apart. Before they acquired Jimmy Butler, the Golden State Warriors were eyeing a reunion with Durant, but the 7-footer vetoed the trade.
According to Ramona Shelburne, one of the most trusted voices in NBA media, it has created a downright “toxic” situation in Phoenix’s locker room. Speaking on NBA Today, Shelburne didn’t mince words about the situation in The Valley.
“The word I would use is toxic. That shootaround yesterday, I heard, was very awkward, very weird at Oklahoma City because everyone was on pins and needles wondering what they were gonna do.”
Now that the trade has fallen through, though, it’s become even more confusing.
Phoenix’s locker room is ‘toxic’ right now, per @ramonashelburne
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24 )pic.twitter.com/38K9jL8WVe
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 6, 2025
“Now you have this reset. How do you move forward as a team when there is a clear mandate here that they have to do something? If they’re not able to get anything done…And the thing they were trying to do did not come to fruition because Kevin Durant said no, it’s hard to move forward.”
On the season, Durant is averaging 26.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game on 52.4 % shooting from the field and 40.1% from distance. Even at 36, he remains one of the most complete and dangerous players in the NBA.
As a result, there is a possibility that a deal for the two-time NBA champion gets done with the Suns walking out with a hefty package. However, in the interim, it’s hard to imagine the situation getting better in the locker room.
