The latest Phoenix Suns debacle: Kelly Oubre deleted Twitter

Something went down with the Phoenix Suns, specifically on #SunsTwitter. Kelly Oubre got off. Not off a high-horse, not off a wagon. He got off Twitter.

A true off-the-court debacle has occurred for the Phoenix Suns. The sky fell, crashing in the middle of the Valley, sending #SunsTwitter looking for shelter.

What happened?

Apparently, Kelly Oubre Jr. deactivated his Twitter account. He then posted on Instagram that he showed too much love too soon, and now he sees the loyalty.

To be fair, we have no idea why Oubre deactivated his account, but it is easy to assume he had enough of the bots, trolls, and their constant hate mongering. It is difficult to point to a specific set of tweets targeted at Tsunami Papi that could have tipped him over the edge, but generally speaking, Twitter can be a breeding ground for haters.

You could feel this coming for some time; the tsunami tide shifting. I first noticed it right before the season at the launch of his Valley Boyz line of swag. I wasn’t to into it—the whole desert desperado vibe. But whatever. It’s his thing, he can do with it what he wants. Besides, it was for a good cause; he donated the proceeds to the Ayton’s hurricane disaster relief fund.

But that didn’t matter, not to a very vocal segment of #SunsTwitter, who felt it was lazy and a cheap cash grab.

I guess they missed the part that it was all going to charity.

Then again, haters gonna hate.

But these people didn’t represent all of us. One of the first things I wrote when I got this gig was on Kelly Oubre, how he was the tape of love—the sticky stuff—holding the Suns fandom together.

Since his arrival in the Valley Oubre has proclaimed his affinity for the community, saying he believes that they have the beginnings of something special. He was the first player in a long while to come along and actively want to be a part of this—let’s be real—mess of an organization, and embrace the community. He wanted to be here for the long haul.

It is a position not a lot of players take in the, “This is a business,” era, and it may have cost him some bargaining power in the offseason. But he stayed true to his word and resigned to a team-friendly contract.

His infectious play has made the games fun to watch again. He played like he was throwing a house party and everyone was welcome. He smiles and flexes and bobs his head and blows kisses and springs into push-ups after getting knocked to the floor. He’s hustle and enthusiasm bundled into a 6’7”, 205 pound frame. And he’s been everything Suns fans have wanted.

Gone were the days of Goran Dragic looking so bummed out, or Eric Bledsoe tweeting out how he didn’t want to be here…or so we thought.

Now #SunsTwitter has gone and done what Twitter seems to do best—make everything sad. Haters are always sticking their thumb in the dip and ruining the party.

Let’s hope this is just a small hiccup. Call it our first lovers’ spat. Someone get me some tape.