Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia claimed adding stars like Kevin Durant does not guarantee championships without proper culture. Durant fired back on social media, sparking a reaction from Dillon Brooks, who mocked Durant while praising Ishbia for cleaning up the locker room.
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Phoenix Suns were in the center of attention for off-court reasons last night.
It all kicked off when Mat Ishbia claimed that bringing star players like Kevin Durant doesn't necessarily mean that they will get championships.
As usual, Durant voiced his opinion on the matter on his social media accounts, saying that 'Mathews acts like I got DUI or something,' reflecting on Dillon Brooks being punished with DUI [driving under influence].
Brooks, known as a trash talker on the court, swiftly reacted to Durant's remarks on his Instagram account.
In a short message on his Instagram story, Brooks wrote:
"Thanks Mat for cleaning up that stench in the locker room before I came #culture," he said.
First showdown between Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets is scheduled for November 7, marking the first matchup between Durant and Brooks this season.
Mat Ishbia's claims about the Durant move
Suns owner Mat Ishbia spoke in an interview with CNBC Sports, where he recalled his decisions after purchasing the team in December of 2022.
"I kind of just threw money at the problem," Ishbia claimed about trying to win a championship as fast as possible. "There was not a defined culture and north star where we were going and therefore bringing in super talented players like Kevin Durant doesn't necessarily lead to championships."
"You gotta find guys and people that are aligned with the vision that we are going, the work ethic, the attitude, the care factor around winning, the grind every single day and that's what we're looking for in Phoenix. Whether it's Kevin Durant or not, it doesn't really matter, it's all about the type of players that we have and now we've defined it and now we only get those type of players."
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