No one knows what the future holds. But one thing is for sure, Kevin Durant might not hang his boots here in sunny Arizona. At least, that’s what the experts of the game are predicting. The active trade market was an open opportunity for the Phoenix Suns to find a place suitable for the veteran hooper. Had Bradley Beal considered waiving his no-trade clause, he could have made something happen. However, KD didn’t want to leave his team mid-season. And he made it clear that the Golden State Warriors weren’t his target place – KD doesn’t dream of having a reunion, to say the least.

Now, this decision comes with some pros and cons. Well, to be more precise, there are more cons than pros; this may not be great news for the 36-year-old legend of the league. Most importantly, Durant’s leadership and his role in the Suns have been a topic of debate. Who is the main star or the leader? Is it KD or Devin Booker?

Kevin Durant’s honesty is in question after a failed mid-season trade

Following the Warriors’ bold move with Jimmy Butler, it was clear that they had moved past their reunion dreams with KD. But then, insiders soon disclosed that Durant had rejected the offer; he wasn’t willing to go back to the Bay. On the other hand, Steve Kerr, the Golden State Warriors head coach, told ESPN that Durant hadn’t upset him. Meanwhile, the fans support KD on social media for his decision, as critics still question his back-to-back Finals MVP wins.

So, the 36-year-old 15x All-Star responded by saying: “That’s not the reason why I didn’t want to come back. I just didn’t want to get traded midway through the season.” Durant insists that his decision wasn’t about Golden State, he just didn’t want to move mid-season. But not everyone is convinced. On the NightCap, ESPN analyst Shannon Sharpe and Ochocinco aka Ocho dissected the matter at hand.

Ocho feels Durant’s claims are believable after the disastrous Brooklyn Nets trade. “A little bit of me believes him. I think even though it was midway through the season, I think through the experiment in Phoenix, I—I don’t think it’s worked. Brooklyn was an absolute failure.” Ocho further added, “If I were KD, I would’ve chosen the better situation,” he admitted. “I hate calling it ring chasing, but…” The unspoken truth lingered. Running it back with Draymond and Steph could’ve been the missing piece to push the Warriors over the hump. Instead, he questioned the uncertainty in Phoenix: “What’s going to happen right now? Where are you going?” Nothing at all.

But then, Kevin Durant loves the game, he loves basketball. As many experts and analysts have noted before. For KD, the history of basketball and his presence in history matters. Most importantly, the stalwart center might just be tired of all the frequent moving around, so he wants to stay in Arizona. Meanwhile, Shannon Sharpe noted: “I think the thing why KD was so successful—he didn’t have to worry about anything but ball, right? See, in Brooklyn, he had to be a leader. You see, in Phoenix, he has to be a leader. Yeah, Steph took care of that, Draymond took care of that, Klay took care of that. So now, he just gets to do what he really wants—hoop.” 

“I don’t got to do no pep talk,” Sharpe said about KD’s personality, unfazed. “I ain’t got to say, ‘Pick this up.’ I ain’t got to do none of that.” His role was clear—show up, handle business, and go home. No extra effort, no unnecessary energy spent. “That’s what he wants to do. Got no problem with that.” At the same time the analyst also noted: “A part of me, a part of me does believe that he didn’t want to get traded during the season.”

Well, Durant might have lied about his desire to stay with the Phoenix Suns. But one thing is undeniable—Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause and $251 million contract hurt the franchise. First, they watched their dream of acquiring Jimmy Butler crumble, and even KD remained stuck.

Bradley Beal’s cards turned the tables for the Phoenix Suns

At this point, Kevin Durant’s mindset has turned into: “I’m going to stick this one out. I know it ain’t working, but I’m going to stick it out and do everything I can until it’s time to leave.” Meanwhile, for the Suns, the bigger dilemma lies not with Durant or Booker, but with Bradley Beal.

On any given night, they could catch fire—any of them dropping 30 or 40. Instead, Bradley Beal found himself relegated to the bench, the team banking on him waiving his no-trade clause to land Jimmy Butler. Beal, however, stood firm. “Nah, I put that in there for a reason. I put that in there for a reason. I don’t want to go anywhere. I’m not going anywhere.”

Meanwhile, Beal’s condition has been like he’s trying his best. Nothing more or less, but enough to keep him on the roster, unlike Jusuf Nurkic. Moreover, might not be willing to uproot himself all over again. Therefore, the no-trade clause is playing its part perfectly leaving not just the Suns but Kevin Durant in a dilemma too.

Simply put, the Phoenix Suns are at a crossroads with KD. He says he doesn’t want a mid-season trade. But, the truth might be different- the 36-year-old might be exhausted from moving from one team to another. Therefore, he wants to stick around until the offseason. And about Bradley Beal? Well, it’s his choice when he wants to find his way out and it doesn’t seem like any time soon!