Dillon Brooks Adds Fuel to Kevin Durant-Mat Ishbia Feud
The Rockets forward taunted Durant on social media following the Suns owner's comments about their 2023 trade.
Dillon Brooks has intensified the ongoing dispute between Kevin Durant and Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia, posting a pointed message on social media.
Brooks, now a member of the Houston Rockets, shared a photo of himself in a Suns uniform on his Instagram story on Sunday night. Accompanying the image was the caption, “Thanks Matt for cleaning up that stench in the locker room before I came #culture,” set to the song “Back Down” by 50 Cent. This comment came just hours after Ishbia acknowledged that acquiring Durant in 2023 was a misstep for the Suns.
Durant has not yet responded to Brooks' social media post. The two players have a history of animosity, stemming from a notable on-court exchange during the playoffs in 2025. Speculation at the time suggested Brooks told Durant he was “never that guy.”
Ishbia's earlier remarks, which he admitted trading for Durant was a mistake for the Suns, prompted a reaction from Durant. The Rockets star reposted Ishbia's comments on X (formerly Twitter), writing, "#blameKD even though KD stayed on top of his game at 36 and got u back this “culture” you love so much. Aye, Matthew acts like I got arrested for a DUI or sumn. Back to threads😂😂😂😂😂😂😂" He later added another post, stating, "U should be giving Thanks every chance u get. You don’t have to pay me an absurd amount of money to play for another team."
The NBA season is set to begin soon, with the Rockets and Suns scheduled to face each other three times. Their first matchup is on November 7, followed by games on November 25 and February 5.