NBA Insider Describes 'Toxic' Suns Locker Room Amidst Trade Deadline Rumors

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne described Phoenix's locker room as "toxic" after weeks of trade rumors.

The Suns were involved in plenty of trade rumors this deadline / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Suns were a team often mentioned during this year's NBA trade deadline but ultimately were unwilling or unable to pull off any significant moves. Their pursuit for Jimmy Butler fell flat as Bradley Beal made it clear he wasn't going to waive his no-trade clause just to help out the Suns. Then Kevin Durant's name popped up as teams started calling to inquire after his availability following the Luka Dončić trade; that didn't pan out to anything significant, either.

The Suns got in on the action in some capacity on Thursday, trading Jusuf Nurkić to the Charlotte Hornets. But, barring a blockbuster right at the buzzer, it seems like it was a whole lot of hubbub for nothing, and it reportedly had a negative impact on the locker room.

Speaking on NBA Today on Thursday, ESPN NBA insider Ramona Shelburne shared with Malika Andrews that the vibes around the Phoenix organization were downright horrendous this week, going so far as to describe the locker room atmosphere as "toxic" after all the Beal, Butler and Durant rumors.

"The word I would use, he used glum, I'll use toxic," Shelburne said. "That shootaround yesterday I heard was very awkwward, very weird in Oklahoma City because everybody was on pins and needles wondering what they were going to do. Now you have this reset where, how do you move forward as a team when there was a clear mandate here that they have to do something? And if they're not able to get anything done, which as we say, you talked about it in the open, it's really hard to do something. The thing they were trying to do did not come to fruition because Kevin Durant said no. It's hard to move forward and I think that's where they're left."

.@ramonashelburne:

"Situation in Suns locker room is toxic right now. That shootaround yesterday I heard was very awkward, very weird" pic.twitter.com/RO4dpG44xT

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 6, 2025

It has to be uncomfortable in an NBA locker room every trade deadline, but it sounds as though it's especially bad in Phoenix right now. Which is not a great sign as everyone there will likely have to shake it off quickly in order to start winning games and get to the playoffs.

Entering Thursday's deadline the Suns sit at an even 25–25, 10th place in the West. If their locker room situation doesn't get better, and soon, the team may tip into the precipice of sub-.500 basketball. Not great from the franchise with the biggest payroll in the NBA.

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