Kevin Durant is taking a more hands-on approach to his tenure with the Phoenix Suns.
The All-Star forward said he pushed behind the scenes for the Suns to land Bradley Beal in June and wants a voice on personnel decisions moving forward.
“I just want to be aware on making decisions, who should be on the team, I give my suggestions and input and hopefully they take it in and value my opinion,” Durant told Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. “But if they don’t, I still come to work and do my job.”
It’s not a surprise that Durant would want his opinion on roster matters heard. His falling out with Brooklyn Nets was a direct result of Durant losing faith in the front office, which ironically was one of the biggest reasons he chose Brooklyn in 2019.
The Suns are likely Durant’s last chance to win a championship while still in the twilight of his prime. With many critics still discounting the two rings he won in Golden State due to his decision to join a 73-win team, Durant undoubtedly knows what winning a ring elsewhere would do for his legacy—particularly after the Warriors won one without him.
Phoenix projects as the NBA’s top-heaviest team, with Beal, Durant and Devin Booker being surrounded largely by a cast of interchangeable role players. Phoenix broke up the contract of Deandre Ayton in a trade that brought back Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen and Nassir Little—critical additions to the depth chart—but the season will largely hinge on the health and cohesion of its Big Three.
If Beal struggles to adapt to a third-banana role and the Suns falter, Durant may only have himself to blame this time around.
