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As drama now has reportedly ensued between the Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant, possibly leading to a breakup down the line, there is some focus on team owner Mat Ishiba. Though Durant shot down reports on the Suns having a toxic locker room, Dan Le Batard would speak on how others see Isibia.
Being a Miami Heat insider, he would speak about the talks that the team had with Phoenix on a possible deal that would send Durant to Miami and Jimmy Butler to the Suns. Le Batard would say on his self-titled show that from what he heard, Ishiba “is a nightmare” in how he handled the trade talks for Butler and how the Durant situation was left.
“I will tell you after the Heat dealt with the Suns, Ishbia is a nightmare,” Le Batard said. “The guy who owns the Suns trying to play General Manager is making a mess of things as the rich person in charge of everything and wants to run his team and is doing so poorly as an amateur rich guy with toys and doesn’t know that you don’t try and make a trade for Jimmy Butler and just ruin everything by informing your superstar who came to be with you through means that aren’t direct that he’s going to be traded like that’s a poison. You can’t have that and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Kevin Durant left after this season.”
Suns wanted Heat's “entire team” in a possible deal for Kevin Durant
There were many rumors surrounding the Suns star in Durant as it was reported that the Warriors wanted to reunite with the 36-year-old, though he wasn't interested. When it was heard that Phoenix would be open to dealing Durant, Miami was interested since they could trade Butler and get back a superstar.
However, Le Batard would say that a deal “was not close” and it was because the Suns were asking for the Heat's “entire team.”
“First of all you should know that was not close, it was never close, there was nothing close there,” Le Batard said. “It was not a whiff, it was never close. It’s a whiff if you think, this is where it is a whiff. The reason it wasn’t close is because of the Heat and not because of the Suns. The ask was, according to the people I’ve talked to, ‘our entire team.’ It wasn’t one of these young players, it wasn’t Jacquez and Ware, it was they wanted our whole team.”
“Ishbia’s not going to trade Durant for pennies on the dollar,” Le Batard continued. “He’s not going to blindside Durant unless he was just sort of sniffing around on what’s the most I could get for Durant I know the Miami Heat are interested in this.”
“The ask was, according to the people I talked to, our entire team. It wasn't Jaquez and Ware. It was ‘they wanted our whole team.'” – Dan says the Suns asking price for Kevin Durant was simply too steep for the Heat.
“I'm not giving up Bam for a 36 year old.” – @__ChrisCote… pic.twitter.com/S6FFYVklFt
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) February 11, 2025
Phoenix is currently 26-27 which puts them 11th in the West as they face the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
