{"id":123199,"date":"2025-02-10T20:21:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T01:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=123199"},"modified":"2025-02-10T20:22:35","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T01:22:35","slug":"suns-kevin-durant-espn-ramona-shelburne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/02\/10\/suns-kevin-durant-espn-ramona-shelburne\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Unfair and Lazy’, Says Suns’ Kevin Durant to ESPN Reporter"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0<\/span>Phoenix Suns<\/span><\/a>\u00a0were the hottest team outside the\u00a0<\/span>Los Angeles Lakers<\/span><\/a>\u00a0when it came to trade speculation and rumors leading up to last week’s deadline. The noise was directed at their pursuit of then-Miami Heat star\u00a0<\/span>Jimmy Butler<\/span><\/a>. It was no secret that the Suns were pushing hard for Butler and vice versa. After the dust settled, Phoenix lost out on the 6x All-Star to the\u00a0<\/span>Golden State Warriors<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

‘Unfair and Lazy’, Says Suns’ Kevin Durant to ESPN Reporter<\/h2>\n

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne Catches Ire of Phoenix Suns Superstar Kevin Durant<\/h3>\n

It was a failed pursuit that Phoenix must now move on from. However, moving on seems to be a problem, according to an ESPN reporter<\/span>, Ramona Shelburne, who last week stated on NBA Today<\/span><\/a>\u00a0that the Suns locker room is “toxic” following the Butler trade blunder. If Shelburne’s reporting is accurate, it only piles onto the disappointing season the Suns have endured so far. The\u00a0<\/span>Kevin Durant<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Devin Booker<\/span><\/a>-led squad is unquestionably underperforming. With the All-Star game about to interrupt the regular season, the Suns are a .500 team (26-26) and sit tenth in the West. Meanwhile, Durant is having a spectacular season production-wise, and so is Booker. Both mirror each other’s points per game (26) and have managed to stave on significant injuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

KD Hits Back<\/h3>\n

The Suns are struggling, and losing out on Butler was a hit, no question. However, Durant is on the other side of Shelburne’s “toxic” comments, to which he responded on Monday\u00a0<\/span>via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I heard Ramona Shelburne come out and say our locker room is toxic.\u00a0I try to tell people who aren’t around this game too much, it’s easy to say our locker room is not connected when you come in there 45 minutes before and guys are in their game mode and not talking to each other. Four or five guys might be in the training room, a few guys might be in the weight room. It’s not a welcoming environment right before the game, you know what I’m saying? That’s part of getting ready to play. <\/em><\/p>\n

“I think it’s unfair and lazy to categorize our team as toxic when you come in there for five minutes throughout four months. That’s the only time you’ve been in our locker room and then you can make a narrative? I don’t think that’s fair to us, but like I said, that’s a part of the game. Part of the business we signed up for.”<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Kevin Durant on ESPN report that Suns locker room has been “toxic”: “Yeah, I heard Ramona Shelburne come out and say our locker room is toxic. I try to tell people who aren’t around this game much is that it’s easy to say our locker room is not connected when you come in there 45\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/SUkcGHmzGF<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n