Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia absolutely failed after trading a gigantic haul to land Kevin Durant only to deal him away just over two years later for an embarrassing return. The Suns got Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, their own first-round draft pick back in 2025, and five second-rounders after giving up two key rotation players, four firsts, two seconds, and one first-round swap to land him. Phoenix won one playoff series with KD and owes picks out through 2029 to make the nightmare worse.
Ishbia pushed for the original Durant trade after buying the team. He vowed to spend big and instantly make the Suns a title contender, but it never happened. Phoenix made the NBA Finals in 2021 but never matched that success with Durant. They won one playoff round in 2023 and haven’t won a postseason game since.
It was shocking to see Ishbia admit his mistake, but the brash owner is not backing down. He wanted a 2025 lottery pick in the Durant deal and believes the Suns can get into contention. They had to make a massive move after missing the postseason entirely in 2025, but this admission of failure is unlikely to drastically change the franchise’s fortunes.
Mat Ishbia finally admits mistake but things won’t change
It was clear Durant would be traded this summer after the deadline. Fans got to see his live reaction to the move. The Suns had to move on. Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause prevents the franchise from trading him, and Phoenix couldn’t run it back with the same roster. They want Devin Booker to be a lifer with the organization, which made Durant the logical trade choice.
It was a mistake giving up such a massive haul for Durant, but the Suns' return made things even worse. They are looking to flip Jalen Green and did not recoup any of their future picks from Houston. The Suns do not plan on tanking, but having those picks would have improved the franchise’s flexibility on multiple fronts.
Ishbia is left banking on drafting a difference-maker with the tenth pick and flipping Jalen Green for the needed rotation pieces to get the Suns back in the mix. They have a gaping hole at the five and limited assets to fill it. It likely means another desperation trade where the Suns are fleeced again.
Ishbia admitted his mistake by trading KD, but it doesn’t sound like he learned his lesson. He will again try to paper over the cracks and build a contender on the fly. It will quickly blow up in his face.
The Phoenix Suns are in a dark place and will only get worse from here. They just traded one of the best scorers in NBA history. The Suns did not improve in this trade. They are destined for another down season with only Mat Ishbia to blame. Credit to him for admitting the Kevin Durant trade was a mistake, but more changes must be made to get back into contention. Stay tuned to see how the offseason plays out, but do not expect a miracle.