Kevin Durant has been at it again. The Phoenix Suns are in the crosshairs of their former superstar thanks to some comments by owner Mat Ishbia that were almost certainly taken the wrong way by Durant. Guess that's what happens when you are perennially online. Then Dillon Brooks entered the chat, and there was no getting it twisted about who he was taking aim at.
Brooks thanks Ishbia for "cleaning up that stench in the locker-room"
The 30-year-old two-way star took to his own personal Instagram to thank owner Ishbia for "cleaning up that stench in the locker room before I came #culture." That #culture at the end? Chef's kiss. Durant might be the better basketball player than Brooks in essentially every single way, but he is a culture and vibes killer compared to the Canadian international.
We didn't see national media outlets saying the Suns would be one of the most likely teams in the league to throw down when Durant was in town. But with Brooks in The Valley, that is a different story. The Suns are a tough out each night, and Brooks can honestly say he has made teammates such as Collin Gillespie better, while he has already taken rookie Koa Peat under his wing.
That was not the case with Durant, who piled up the points but could never turn his style of play into winning with this team. Kind of like how his first season with the Houston Rockets ended up going, and at 38 years old, it is hard to see that changing before he calls it a career. Hard to recall a time when Durant publicly backed the owner either, but Brooks getting involved is exactly what we've come to expect from the Suns' best player going back to last season's playoffs.
Brooks will be more fondly remembered than Durant in years to come
Taking to social media to beat Durant at his own game is peak Brooks, and it is part of the reason why he is going to be better remembered by Phoenix once both players have retired. Even if the Suns never win a championship with Brooks, which right now looks like the most likely outcome, he helped fans get their team back in his first season.
The enjoyment around Suns basketball returned; winning 45 games and making it to the playoffs helped. The team technically had more postseason success with Durant in town, although not much, yet that era failed to capture the imagination despite promising so much. Kind of like Durant's career since leaving Oklahoma City.
As an organization, the best thing they can do is never engage with him again and continue moving forward. For Brooks personally? Go at Durant in this hilarious manner as frequently as you like; we all know you use it as fuel during the regular season anyway.
Add us as a preferred source on Google