Kevin Durant admires owner Mat Ishbia pushing for title despite Suns’ poor season

Kevin Durant understands how a franchise hopes to contend for a title the same season they acquire him, but experience tells us that to construct a championship-worthy team, you need to respect the process and build around your star players. 

Currently in his third year in Phoenix, the veteran star acknowledges the importance of having an owner that comprehends this, and continues to invest in the squad despite expectations already being so high. “You’re thinking immediate success straight to the championship,” he said this past weekend before facing the Jazz at Footprint Center.

Team owner Mat Ishbia has made several controversial decisions that’s led the Arizona club to become the NBA’s first $400-million team, and have the league’s highest payroll rise above the second tax apron. The only problem is that the squad aren’t winning as expected, currently sitting 10th in the West with a 19-19 mark.

Mat Ishbia has spent.

But it might be time for the Suns to admit they were wrong with this team and search out a Kevin Durant trade with the Rockets to reset, says @danbickley. pic.twitter.com/GFndS04AW7

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) January 8, 2025

This is why the future Hall of Famer admires his boss. “I appreciate people that want to put in the work to try to get on that road to a championship level,” KD said. “It’s hard. As we’ve seen, it’s tough, but just putting yourself in a position to try to do something. A lot people don’t even try to do stuff out here to be great.

“So I can appreciate somebody like Mat and the staff and the whole organization trying to put the players in successful positions to see what it’s like to go on the road to a championship. Not a lot of franchises do that for their players.”

The Suns started out the season as championship contenders, winning eight of their first nine games, but have now lost as many games as they’ve conquered under coach Mike Budenholzer, who serves as their third coach in three years.

Sources close to the club guarantee that Ishbia is on the move again hoping to pull off another major trade before the February 6th deadline. The is reportedly looking for a third team to move Bradley Beal and hopefully land Heat star Jimmy Butler, who is hoping to get transferred.

Despite the team looking to trade before the deadline, Durant praised his rookie teammates as they’ve earned their spot in the squad

The two-time finals MVP started out by recognizing the development of rookie teammates Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro, who had earned meaningful roles for the Suns so far this campaign.

“When you see Ryan go out there and play a great game,” the 35-year-old said this weekend. “Oso got minutes. You start seeing him get better and better and more comfortable, now that’s the NBA to me.”

Durant then mentioned that despite having a strong squad, it is important to keep trying to improve. “Sometimes you’ve got to try and see to try to figure out where you want to go,” he said. “Sometimes it might always work out the way you set it up, the way you envision. Trying is better than not doing nothing at all.”