Kevin Durant Wasted No Time Burying ESPN For Suggesting Things Are "Toxic' In The Suns Locker Room

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Narratives can be tricky, especially in the NBA. In a league filled with drama where podcasts and talking head shows care more about saying outlandish things in an attempt to go viral, you always have to be weary of narratives. I mean just look at what's happened the last week or so with Luka and the Mavs. How quickly did the team side put out the narrative that Luka was fat and didn't care about winning? When turmoil happens, the narratives quickly follow suit, even if the majority of them are bullshit.

For a team like the Suns, we're seeing something similar play out. After KD was thrown in potential trade rumors during the deadline and Bradley Beal's reluctance to waive his no trade clause dominated the rumor mill, at the time the Suns weren't exactly blowing doors off the court. In fact, they've currently lost 4 of their last 5 ranging from a week before the deadline to their loss on Saturday to the Nuggets. The point is, we all know how this works when a team finds itself in that type of position. You're going to start hearing all these "reports" and "sources" from the vultures that know how to create a narrative.

Nobody, and I mean nobody does that better (or worse??) than ESPN. I mean they are the narrative forming champs, especially shit that ultimately is not true. So when all this drama was flying around the Suns, they were right on cue

A bit of a wild claim, but pretty much expected from the World Wide Leader. You know what sells? Reports of toxicity, beefs, and drama. That's why people watch, share social clips, etc. We as outsiders and fans have no idea how true any of that may actually be, but remember, in the narrative game it's not about what's true, it's about what's the juiciest story.

With that in mind, does it shock anyone that KD came out today and essentially buried ESPN and that report?

Kevin Durant on ESPN report that Suns locker room has been "toxic": "Yeah, I heard Ramona Shelburne come out and say our locker room is toxic. I try to tell people who aren't around this game much is that it's easy to say our locker room is not connected when you come in there 45 minutes before and guys are in their game mode and not talking to each other. Four or five guys might be in the training room, a few guys might be in the weight room. it's not a welcoming environment right before the game. That's part of getting ready to play. I think it's unfair and lazy to categorize our team as toxic when you come in there for five minutes throughout four months. That's the only time you've been in our locker room and then you can make a narrative? I don't think that's fair to us, but like I said, that's a part of the game. Part of the business we signed up for. Shit is not fair in this game, but we got to deal with it and accept it." #Suns

Now, I do think you have to be pretty insane to think KD would ever come out and say somehting along the lines of 

"Yeah, our locker room is fractured, we all hate each other, we're all super pissed at Brad for not waiving his no trade clause"

but at the same time, why does KD need to lie here? He's Kevin Durant. His legacy is pretty much cemented at this point, and not only that when it comes to talking basketball, I've always found KD to be rather honest. Whether you agree with what he's saying or not, at least he's being open about it. Nothing in that answer suggests to me that actually ESPN was right and there's some sort of toxic situation happening in that locker room. I find it refreshing that a player of KD's stature is actually willing to call that bullshit out. He could have easily dodged the question and said "no comment", so I appreciate the fact that he called bullshit.

It's similar to what we heard from Royce O'Neale immediately after the deadline

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ESPN lies? Who could possibly have seen that coming???

Perhaps this is all just damage control because the "secret" got out, but I dunno, given ESPN's history and their love for pushing false narratives, I tend to believe this is another case of a whole lot of nothing. It's OK to simply say the Suns may stink and that their roster has glaring holes. But as we know, ESPN would much rather push something like a "toxic environment" than provide actual basketball analysis as to why the Suns may be underachieving this season.

KD is right though when he says this stuff as well as trade rumors are all part of the gig. This is what they signed up for. Media narratives, trade rumors, being traded out of nowhere, as Don Draper once said

Meanwhile, with AD now being out and the Mavs potentially sinking like a rock, it's time for the Suns to get their shit together. Had Greyson Allen not made a prayer 3 to force OT against the Jazz (which PHX won), they'd be looking at a 5 game losing streak right now. They are what I would call in limbo at the moment where they are still technically alive for a top 6 seed (3 back in the loss column of MIN) but also run the risk of missing the Play In all together (tied w/ GS who is 11th).

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What I do know is the easiest way to avoid that disaster and also avoid any fake media narratives about a toxic locker room is pretty simple. Win. Once you start winning, the vultures pass over you while looking for their next target.