MSU Alum Mat Ishbia Takes Heat for Kevin Durant Trade
The blockbuster Kevin Durant trade NBA fans have been waiting for is finally happening.
The Suns are dealing the veteran superstar forward to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th overall pick and five second-round picks, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
As has been the case as of late, Phoenix fans are not happy with Michigan State alum and Suns owner Mat Ishbia.
Mat Ishbia took an NBA team that was two wins from a championship and dismantled it and wants us to be happy that the hot dogs are cheap.
— Mike Vigil (@protectedpick) June 22, 2025
ishbia managing to destroy all the good capital he had with us in less than 3 years is honestly impressive. I applaud him.
— aaron. (@ayroned) June 22, 2025
Suns fans: We have too many shooting guards
— Who Likes Sports? (@WhoLikesSports) June 22, 2025
Mat Ishbia: pic.twitter.com/5iGXQ7C4CF https://t.co/9QvCIbVg3n
Mat Ishbia might be a bottom 5 NBA team owner ever. This was a nasty fleece.
— ً (@CookedByScott) June 22, 2025
I can’t recall another roster implosion quite like Mat Ishbia’s Suns… https://t.co/wnGBlGOY2s
— Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) June 22, 2025
Matt Ishbia probably think he got a demon in Jalen Green 😭😭😭😭😭
— BRⱯNDON 🗽 (@GPIsCooked) June 22, 2025
No Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith, not even Reed Sheppard
— mig (@mig_ibe) June 22, 2025
Matt Ishbia man… pic.twitter.com/DzgnYI7qNL
The 10th pick was originally their own too
— pickuphoop (@pickuphoop) June 22, 2025
Ishbia effectively turned Bridges, Cam, 3 firsts for Green and Brooks
The first big move the Suns made under Ishbia was landing Durant in a blockbuster deal in 2023.
At that time, he was much more respected. But the outlook from the fans has only gone downhill since.
Phoenix missed the playoffs just four years after being in the NBA Finals. That was the first indication the organization had taken a major step backward.
Then Ishbia was ridiculed for his hires of former Michigan State staffers -- Brian Gregory as general manager and Jordan Ott as head coach.
Now, this latest move puts Ishbia at an all-time low with the Suns fan base. Considering the fact Durant is a future Hall of Famer and can still be a top-five player when healthy, this trade is rather lopsided.
Green, a former second overall pick, received heavy criticism for his first-ever playoff series against the Golden State Warriors this spring. Despite an impressive 38-point showing in Game 2, he averaged less than 10 points in the other six games of the series.
Frankly, a better trade could have been dealt.
Phoenix is now in rebuilding mode but still has Devin Booker, a Michigan native who has the potential to be a superstar but still hasn't quite reached his peak.
Houston, meanwhile, goes from a team that finished second in the Western Conference that now has one of the greatest scorers to ever play the game.
Ishbia agreed to buy the Suns in December of 2022. The Spartan alum played three seasons at Michigan State and was part of back-to-back trips to the Final Four, which included the Spartans winning the 2000 national title.
Ishbia is the CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage. He is also the majority owner of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.
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