There are hints being dropped about another Kevin Durant departure.

The Athletic said that Durant was not happy with his job this season under first-year coach Frank Vogel’s supervision after the Timberwolves defeated him and the much-hyped but underachieving Suns on Sunday.

One of the greatest scorers in NBA history, Durant, was not always pleased with how he was utilized in the interim. The Athletic said that Durant never felt at ease with his role in Phoenix’s offense this season alongside (Devin) Booker and (Bradley) Beal, according to sources briefed on the situation. 

According to those sources, Durant was having ongoing problems with the system. He believed that he was being forced into the corner much too frequently and that the pick-and-roll-heavy strategy did not provide him with the right plays to capitalize on his skills. 

Meanwhile, a few teammates and close associates of the team felt Durant ought to speak with Vogel and his coaching staff more forcefully and frankly about his concerns.

After losing in 2022, the Suns traded for Durant from the Nets in February of last year in the hopes that he might help them win again, but over the past two years, they have progressively regressed.

Last season, Phoenix secured the fourth seed and defeated the Clippers in five games to get to the semifinals, where they were defeated in six games by the eventual champion Nuggets.

Though they won more games than the Suns team from the previous season, this year’s squad—which had the big three of Durant, Booker, and Beal—was ranked sixth.

The Suns dropped three of their four games by double digits against the Timberwolves, a team they defeated in all three of their regular-season meetings.

The series captured a Minnesota squad that seems to be on the rise, while the Suns and their expensive stars don’t seem to be going anywhere.

Despite his decline in field goal percentage from 57 percent to 52.3 percent, Durant averaged 27.1 points per game in 75 games this past season—his most since 2018–19.

Despite having a strong postseason with an average of 26.8 points per game—including two performances of thirty or more points in Games 1 and 4—the 35-year-old Suns were unable to keep up with Minnesota.

With Durant in the lineup, Phoenix is currently 6-9 in the postseason.

The Suns will need to examine their roster closely to determine what changes they can make to best position themselves going forward, given the high salaries on the club and their apparent decline.

Having played for three different teams in the previous six years, Durant has demonstrated recently that he is open to moving if he believes it will increase his chances of success.

The veteran is signed for the next two seasons, with a $51.2 million cap cost for the upcoming campaign.