Kevin Durant Sends Kobe Bryant Message Amid NBA Trade Rumors originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024-25 Phoenix Suns closed with a 36‑46 mark, finishing 11th in the Western Conference and missing the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2020, sparking a "soft rebuild" discussion in Phoenix.
Kevin Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists on 43% 3‑point shooting, remaining one of the league’s most elite scorers.
Yet, with just one year left on a $54.7 million deal, whispers of a move to the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets or Miami Heat, among others, have dominated headlines over the past few weeks.
As NBA trade rumors continue to swirl, Durant shared a vintage snapshot on Wednesday of himself, when playing for the Seattle SuperSonics in his rookie year, being guarded by Kobe Bryant, captioning it, "ALWAYS HACKIN MAN… WISH U WERE HERE BEAN."
In 20 seasons, all with the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant won five NBA championships, two Finals MVPs and one league MVP, finishing his career as an 18-time All-Star and 11-time All-NBA First Team honoree.
His sudden passing in January 2020 left a void both on and off the court, being posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame twice (2020 as a player, 2025 with the 2008 Olympic team).
Durant has long cited Bryant as a role model.
In 2015, he admitted he "idolized Kobe… he was our Michael Jordan" and angrily criticized media treatment of Bryant late in his career.
The understated tribute arrives at a pivotal moment as Durant, fresh off another All-Star season, finds himself the centerpiece of blockbuster rumors as the Suns weigh offers ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
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