Kevin Durant is back to focusing on the Phoenix Suns after a successful summer with Team USA which saw him set new records for the country. The Suns aren't as well-positioned for success as Team USA, with fans being generally pessimistic about the team. That was made evident when Durant was heckled by a fan during a press meet where Jalen Rose asked Durant what his expectations for next season are.
Jalen Rose to Kevin Durant: " What can we expect from you and the Phoenix Suns this year?"
Fan: "Nothing!"
The crowd broke into laughter with Durant clearly upset, as the crowd soon broke into chants for the New York Knicks. Fans were having fun with the players and it was all in good humor, but Durant did seem to get caught off guard by what the fans had to say. There are a lot of expectations for the Suns heading into next season.
The Phoenix Suns are entering another year where anything less than a title will be considered a failure for the franchise. Durant has faced a lot of heat for the Suns getting swept in the 2024 Playoffs.
He averaged 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists last season, hoping to carry his All-NBA performance from last year over into this year after the team has had a full offseason to build the roster around Durant, Devin Booker , and Bradley Beal.
Phoenix Suns And Kevin Durant Have A Strong Relationship
There has been a lot of speculation on Durant's long-term future with the Suns, with trade rumors swirling around the players ahead of the deadline and then again in the summer. But it seems Durant is set on making it work alongside Booker on the Suns, building strong ties with the Suns front office , as said by the team's CEO Josh Bartelstein.
“The most important thing is Kevin loves being here and we love having Kevin here... He’s focused on the Olympics, but we’re always having dialogue. The relationship is what matters the most. The relationship is in a great spot. I talk to (Durant’s agent) Rich Kleiman, who works with Kevin, all the time. Conversations are great not just on extension stuff, but on all things that have been going on.”
Durant is currently eligible for a contract extension that both sides are expected to discuss until October 21, when the window for an early extension will be closed. There won't be a rush from either side as his current contract has him with the team until 2026. There's little incentive in signing an extension right now for Durant, as he can only sign for one additional year at this point.
Durant had a consistent level of strong play all season, even filling in as the team's center whenever required. His best efforts couldn't help Phoenix secure anything higher than the No. 6 seed in the West before their sweep first-round loss.
They'll hope this season goes differently, making acquisitions such as Tyus Jones to reinforce their team ahead of a make-or-break season.
Related: Anthony Edwards Admits He Felt Bad For Kevin Durant After Sweeping The Suns In The Playoffs
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