Durant likely isn’t solely responsible for the birth of these rumors, but it seems unlikely that Harden would be the missing piece for Phoenix.
The Phoenix Suns came up short again in the playoffs, this time despite the fact they pulled off a massive trade for Kevin Durant at the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline. Big changes could be in store for the Suns this offseason, with one already being made in the firing of Monty Williams.
However, it doesn’t look like that will be all, as the Suns have quickly emerged as a potential suitor for James Harden, who could leave the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. Colin Cowherd didn’t like this rumor, and quickly called out Durant for being linked to a reunion with Harden.
“Put a kibosh to this KD. This is a bad look. You’re becoming weird and eccentric. It’s OK to make poor decisions. LeBron James, great basketball IQ, has made poor decisions. Remember he wanted Shabazz Napier drafted? He wanted Westbrook to the Lakers. But LeBron moves off bad decisions and then generally doesn’t do them again. James Harden? After Kyrie and Harden? You talk about a bad sequel…You’re erratic. I mean, it’s one thing to not be able to work with Steve Kerr and Kenny Atkinson and Monty Williams. It’s another to double down on James Harden. End this thing today. It’s a bad look. You look unpredictable. And again, I like my artist, just not the crazy ones,” he said on The Herd With Colin Cowherd.
Would a Durant/Harden reunion work out for the Phoenix Suns?
Well, Cowherd certainly doesn’t hold any punches back here, and absolutely goes in on Durant because of this Harden rumor. The Suns certainly need changes, and there have been suggestions that they could be looking into moving on from both Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton over the offseason. But to bring in Harden as a potential replacement in free agency? It would seemingly only work if the team opted to move on from Paul.
Rough history together
Given how Durant and Harden’s tenure with the Brooklyn Nets flamed out, would the Suns even want to pursue a reunion between these two superstars? Harden also didn’t exactly look great in the Sixers, trading standout performances with ones where he didn’t look like he belonged in the NBA. Phoenix may be sniffing around Harden, and while Cowherd doesn’t need to totally blame Durant for the birth of this rumor, it seems unlikely that Harden is the missing piece to Phoenix’s postseason success.
