Former Teammate: Kevin Durant “Surprised” With How Phoenix Suns Used Him

Former Teammate: Kevin Durant “Surprised” With How Phoenix Suns Used Him

It felt like the Suns or Mike Benhoer at least wanted to play one way and Kevin Durant wanted to play another way. This question comes from Psycho Blue in our dieh hard discord says, “Wasn’t Katie one of the most high usage players in the Suns throughout his time and especially last season where there was seemingly no offensive scheme of any sort other than Katie iso and jackup threes?” Now, why is Psycho Blue asking this question? Well, because a former teammate of Kevin Arance and a former member of the Phoenix Suns talked to Basketball News. Of course, this is during Euro Basket. Uh talked about how Katie was surprised at how little he was used in Phoenix considering what he was doing. Now, I will say this, there is more to this quote that I’m going to read for you here in a second. But before we dive into some other stuff, the the messaging from Meech was essentially Kevin Durant was frustrated with how he was used in Phoenix. I I’m not sure how much stock to put in this. This is somebody who was in the locker room at least for a little bit. They didn’t play that much, but what was your reaction to to seeing this, Gerald? Um, it’s interesting, not surprising. I would be curious what the rest of the quote says for the full context. Um, because that’ll probably shape my opinion a little bit more. I think KD ranked 24th in the NBA in usage rating last year. And I think Devin Booker was 21st. Um, so he was up there. Probably not as high as I think people would expect based on watching Phoenix play. Um, but it just it felt like the Suns or Mike Benhenhozer at least wanted to play one way and Kevin Durant wanted to play another way because Kevin Durant is good at what he does and scoring in the spots that he’s been scoring throughout his entire career. So, it just wasn’t a good mesh in that way. Do Do you have the rest of the quote context? Quote, he’s surprised at how little he was used in Phoenix as an example considering what he’s doing. KD often has that uncomfortable body language, but he’s actually a cool guy. That’s just his protection. He has his reasons for being that way, but he’s very open to conversation. He’s extra intelligent. We used to talk about his basketball vision. We used to talk, we used to talk and his basketball vision is on a completely different level from understanding to analyzing the opponent. So, he goes on to say, “Yeah, he has his reasons and how he looks at things and he can maybe be a little protected, but was just surprised by how little he was used in Phoenix, uh, as part of maybe one of the reasons why it didn’t work out.” What was your reaction, Stephen, to hearing all of that? Um, I could see why that might be true considering how predictable the offense was and it was literally just get him the ball and watch him for for varying moments past the first two and a half months of the regular season. Um, they weren’t they weren’t doing enough around to have a a offense that that se it had a semblance of like a like a true system if you will. It felt more so put your cape on and save us. And if you get double teamed, hopefully you make a good pass out. Otherwise, stalemate. Like there’s no there was no there was no process to really assess for him more often than not. I think when I’m looking at this quote, I wonder if maybe what Meeich was more trying to say was was kind of surprised with how he was used instead of like how much because I do think there was there’s no denying Kevin Durant was a central point to the Suns offense, right? But I I mean I was frustrated with the Suns offense. I can’t imagine what it was like for KD and Devin Booker and all that. So, I don’t know if maybe there’s there was some miscommunication there because I I don’t know if it was the solution to all the Sun’s problem was just give Kevin Durant the ball more. It was give Kevin Durant the ball in better situations. Yeah. But it I I don’t I felt like they got him the ball in the elbow or the block extended a lot, which is where he’s good at operating. I think that they weren’t I think that they stuck to that a little too much, honestly. And I did I don’t feel like they used him creatively outside of that. Um so I feel like putting him in easier spots to score would have helped instead of okay Kevin here’s the ball here comes the double team make a play out of it like Stephen said put on your cape and go save us type stuff. Um all around just did not optimize any of the talent that they had in that offense. But it’s especially glaring when you look at Kevin Durant and Devin Booker within that context. Yeah. And again like I’m not trying to disrespect Vasameich. I’m really not. That being said, we cannot just take his word as gospel. Now, this is somebody in the locker room for the first time really speaking about this. So, there is at least a reason to bring it up, but I’m not going to walk away here and be like, well, that’s stone cold truth. Maybe there was a conversation after a game that Kevin Durant was frustrated with how he was used, but that’s not the whole story, the whole situation. I don’t know. I personally am just kind of ready for no more conversations about Kevin Durant on the hands of it. But I will say he was in the locker room for only a few weeks, but saw like 2,000% more than any of us on the outside did. So, I would I would I would buy into what he’s saying. He he was there. Yeah. Well, if you want to read it for yourself, it’s at Basket News. You can go ahead and check that whole article out talking about Vasa’s time in Eur Time on the Suns and everything like that. Well, we’re going to move on here on PHNX Suns. [Applause] [Music]

According to former Suns guard Vasilije Micic, Kevin Durant was not happy with how much he was, or was not, being used during his time in Phoenix. PHNX Suns reacts to the statement, discusses if it is a fair criticism of the team and how much they believe what Micic had to say about the all-time great’s feelings.

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