Kevin Durant fires back at Mat Ishbia's comments about regretting the trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Mat Ishbia completed his purchase of the Phoenix Suns back on February 7, 2023. Just two days later, the Suns pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade that helped them acquire Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets.
It was one of the biggest moves in franchise history. Unfortunately, it did not pan out well for the Suns, as they hit their ceiling just a few months later when they reached the Western Conference Semifinals and lost to the Denver Nuggets.
Kevin Durant throws shade at Mat Ishbia after the latter's comments about regretting the trade
In the following two seasons, the Suns lost in a sweep in the 2024 postseason, and they missed the entirety of the 2025 Playoffs. After that disastrous two-and-a-half year run, it meant that the Suns were already looking for ways to part ways with Durant.
They managed to find a trade with the Houston Rockets, and it panned out for both parties. A year after that trade, it seems that Suns owner Mat Ishbia has looked back on what happened, and he has admitted that he regrets ever making the trade.
MORE: Mat Ishbia makes a bold prediction for the Suns' 2026-27 NBA season
Ishbia now has the benefit of hindsight being 20/20 because he now feels that he was just throwing the money at the situation. It was a win-now move that did pan out despite Durant being such a talented player.
The team did not fit alongside each other, especially the "Big Three" of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. As a result of this Ishbia statement, it led to Durant returning to X for the first time in a few months to address what happened.
"#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," Durant said on his X account responding to Ishbia's latest comments.
It is clear that Durant does not take what Ishbia said lightly. Durant wanted to succeed in Phoenix, but it did not work out. Now that he is with the Rockets, he has a chance to prove Ishbia wrong because he can be really competitive with the talent on that roster.
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- Mat Ishbia is committed to Devin Booker after refusing a potential trade with the Pistons