Rankin wrote, "Ott also has ties to Suns superstar Kevin Durant, who was in Brooklyn from 2019 to right before the 2023 trade deadline when the Suns acquired him in a blockbuster deal. Durant’s future with the Suns is uncertain as the team entertained trade talks for him before the 2025 trade deadline, but he and Ott have worked together."

It looked as though the Suns were ready to make one last push toward one of those play-in spots, but an injury to Durant's ankle put any hopes of that to rest. Around the trade deadline, it was rumored that the Suns were shopping Durant and that a deal was nearly in place that would've sent him to Golden State.

According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Kevin Durant hasn’t requested a trade from the Phoenix Suns. Who Phoenix hires as its next head coach will play a role in Durant’s future with the franchise.