Kevin Durant Doesn't Want to Be Traded from Suns, Denies NBA Rumors About Frustration

Kevin Durant pushed back on the narrative he's frustrated in Phoenix, saying he does not want to be traded.

"I don't want to get traded," Durant told Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports. "I'm not frustrated because Brad was injured. I wasn't frustrated because of the role players on the team. That s--t really was ignorant to me, you know what I'm saying?

"It's like, yeah, we lose a game – you think I'm supposed to be happy after we lose a game? You know what I'm saying? I'm not frustrated with the whole situation. I may be frustrated at the moment, at a bad play or a tough stretch. But nah, I enjoy the grind."

The Suns are a disappointing 19-18 and have had Bradley Beal on the floor for just 13 of their 37 games. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski previously reported the organization could "feel the frustration" coming from Durant.

Speculation surrounding Durant has become natural at this point given his acrimonious exits from Golden State and Brooklyn. That said, it would be unfair to automatically assume Durant would want a trade amid frustration. He hasn't even spent a year yet in Phoenix—a place he pushed to go at last February's deadline—and Beal's struggles to remain healthy have impeded the Suns' effort to build chemistry.

Losing is frustrating for any athlete. Durant is allowed to express that anger without the automatic assumption he'd want to find the next exit. Durant called speculation "trash" and said he thinks the Suns will get better from their adversity.

"I love that we're struggling almost because we can learn from it and get better and move forward from it," Durant said. "Obviously, I don't love struggling. But I like finding good things out of winning basketball games. The more film we watch, the more pride we take. The tougher it is, the better we'll become from it. That's my mentality the whole time."

Durant remains one of the NBA's premier players, averaging 29.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists while posting nearly 50-40-90 shooting splits. His brilliance has been overshadowed by Phoenix's inconsistent start, and Beal's injury arguably places a spotlight on the team's top-heavy construction.

As it stands, though, Durant is committed to seeing this plan through.