After Kevin Durant was traded at the February 9 deadline, many waited patiently for him to make his Phoenix Suns debut. The former MVP has been sidelined since early January due to an MCL injury.
Amid recent events, it seems the wait is over. The Phoenix Suns announced on Twitter that KD is expected to face the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.
Before he was injured, Kevin Durant was in the midst of an MVP-level season for the Brooklyn Nets. In 39 games he is averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
Finally, the world of the NBA will finally get its first look at Durant alongside Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.
Kevin Durant has limited time to make it work with Phoenix Suns
When the Phoenix Suns traded a large amount of assets to bring in KD, expectations shot up instantly. Adding in the two-time Finals MVP, they are now at the top of the championship contender list.
Phoenix (33-29) might have all the pieces to reach the NBA Finals, but one thing they lack is time. Including his debut against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, Durant and the Suns have just 20 games left before the postseason.
In addition to making things click with their new core, the Suns also have little margin for error in the standings. The Western Conference standings have been airtight all season as several teams want to put in a big push in the playoffs.
Right now, the Suns sit in fourth place and are three games behind the Sacramento Kings (35-25) for third place. That said, only three games separate the Phoenix and the 11th-ranked Portland Trail Blazers (29-31). If they don’t come out of the hot gates, it could completely change their path to the NBA Finals.
One thing they have going for them is that KD has proven to be the best plug-and-play player ever. His skill set allows him to easily adapt to any system, no matter what type of talent surrounds him. This should allow Phoenix to have minimal growing pains as the new star enters the fold.
Phoenix also has one of the best floor generals in the game to lean on. Chris Paul continues to be one of the top facilitators in the league and will make sure everyone gets the right touches.
With Kevin Durant’s debut in place now, all the league can do is wait to see if it has another superteam on its hands.