In the latest episode of All The Smoke Unplugged, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson are joined by former NBA player and Utah Jazz player Development coach Keyon Dooling to discuss the trade rumors surrounding Kevin Durant.
Information had gotten out that the Phoenix Suns were looking to deal KD amongst all of the hoopla at the NBA trade deadline. The only problem was it was without him knowing. Barnes affirmed that the news blindsided Durant, so much so his business partner Rich Kleinman came out in Durant’s defense, sharing he is content where he is and that he made no request to the Suns about being traded.
Given who Durant is and the type of career he’s had, one would believe it would be a conversation worth having with Durant. Jackson agreed that the conversation between Suns ownership and Durant should have taken place, especially given the fact Durant had other options he was considering. He also explained that even with all of the issues surrounding Bradley Beal, Durant and Devin Booker have been dependable. Jackson, who knows Durant’s temperament, expressed that shadiness and disrespect will not sit well with Durant, and he hopes he considers taking his talents elsewhere this summer.
On the other hand, Dooling puts into perspective the impact that superstars like Durant have had on the game, emphasizing that the NBA has grown and become more valuable on their watch. He echoed Jackson’s stance that, given Durant’s legendary status, when you are considering trading him or having conversations about his future, he should be involved. To Dooling’s point, the NBA is a business. However, certain people supersede the business aspect of the NBA based on their contributions. He believes that conversations were held with Durant but retroactively after the information had been released. Dooling expressed that it has not worked in Phoenix, and ultimately, the basketball gods don’t reward fractured organizations. He strongly believes the gods reward those organizations that have those tough conversations.
Barnes called on the Suns organization to fix things because, Durant holds grudges, and the conversation should have been had during the season. He foresaw that Beal playing with Durant and Booker would not work due to their similar playing styles. Instead of acquiring Beal, Barnes suggested they should have brought on other pieces to complement Durant and Booker, ultimately to help prevent the current dysfunction.
Watch or listen to the full episode below and keep an eye on DraftKings Network for new episodes of All The Smoke Unplugged every Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET!
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Mavs Fans vs. New Ownership, Luka’s Lakers Era Begins, KD’s Fading Phoenix Chapter
- Luka Doncic is officially a Laker, and Matt isn’t holding back on Mavericks’ new owner Patrick Dumont for his wild comments questioning Luka. Stak and special guest Keyon Dooling break it all down—what this means for LeBron’s championship window, how Dallas rebounds, and whether the Lakers just became instant title favorites. With football season in the books, it’s time to lock in on the NBA. The crew tackles Kevin Durant’s rumored frustration in Phoenix, the impact of young phenom Cooper Flagg on the league’s future, and what All The Smoke has planned for NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.
VIDEO:
Check out the DraftKings YouTube page and the All The Smoke Productions YouTube page for more. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on Instagram at @Matt_Barnes9 and @_Stak5_ as well as All The Smoke Productions.
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