Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Durant claps back at rumors of frustration

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 12/27/23

Kevin Durant has responded to reports that he's frustrated with the Phoenix Suns. The report originally came via ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on a recent episode of "NBA Today." Durant shared his rebuttal in a comment on an Instagram post, via PHNX Suns.

"Woj says somebody 'feels that I am frustrated and turned into me being mentally checked out,'" Durant wrote. "This s--- crazy, these people can flat out lie on my name and make s--- up, and you people will believe it, but when my coaches and speak on how I am as a teammate, u ignore it, lol."

Durant has since deleted the comment.

We will never know whether Durant is truly frustrated with the Suns' situation. Yes, he's bound to be unhappy with how the opening months of the season have gone, but there's a big difference between wanting to turn things around and wanting to jump ship.

Durant has played in almost every game this season. He is averaging 30.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists, shooting 51.8% from the field and 46.9% from three-point range. He's making a difference when he's on the court, and he's playing elite-level basketball. Those aren't the things you expect to see from a player who has mentally checked out on his team.

Right now, the Suns still have enough time to figure things out and turn their season around. If Phoenix falls short in making a deep postseason run, then Durant may begin to re-evaluate his situation.

However, it's unlikely that he will make any decision until he's seen what the Suns are capable of when everybody is fully healthy. That means he will need to be patient as Phoenix waits on Bradley Beal to navigate his injury struggles and return to the court in a consistent role. Until then, the Suns will need to keep treading water.

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