Phoenix Suns Owner Mat Ishbia Says That Kevin Durant "Wasn't A Fit" For The Team's Future Direction
Sep 26, 2025
Earlier this year, it seemed like just a matter of time before the Phoenix Suns made a move to ship off Kevin Durant. They finally pulled the trigger in the offseason, dealing Durant to the Houston Rockets in a historic seven-team deal.
For Suns owner Mat Ishbia, dealing a generational talent like Durant was a move that made all the sense in the world. Appearing on ESPN’s “NBA Today,” Ishbia gave the two-time NBA champion his props but made it clear that the team’s future direction was the top priority.
“Kevin Durant’s a great player, there’s no one who can ever question that,” Ishbia said. “He just wasn’t a fit for what we’re doing going forward.”
No matter how fans feel about Durant, that statement by Ishbia may sound somewhat disjointed. Everywhere he’s been, the 15-time All-Star has been an indispensable offensive weapon, whether he was leading a young Oklahoma City Thunder squad to the NBA Finals or forming a superteam with James Harden and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.
While Durant’s age has become something of a red flag (he turns 37 on Monday), that didn’t stop the Houston Rockets from acquiring him and parting ways with 23-year-old athletic guard Jalen Green. Now that Durant will be teaming up with All-Star center Alperen Sengun and two-way workhorse Amen Thompson, many pundits are thinking highly of the Rockets’ title chances this season.
It’s clear, though, that Ishbia has a vision. Of course, he isn’t some disengaged owner who lets the front office take care of the granular details. The billionaire CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage played college ball for Michigan State from 1999 to 2002 under the tutelage of Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo. Ishbia, in fact, played for Izzo’s 2000 Spartans squad that won the NCAA championship.
Ishbia, who took over as Suns owner in 2023, went on to admit that his team’s vision could take a while before it gets fulfilled.
“We’re looking forward, not looking back,” Ishbia said. “We love the guys we got, we love what we’re building. It takes time. It’s not gonna happen overnight, but we feel great about what we got here in Phoenix.”
