Kevin Durant would make any NBA team solid, if not great. Teaming up with Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton in Phoenix makes the Suns legitimate title contenders.
Durant is currently out with a sprained right MCL. Before the unfortunate injury, he was putting together another MVP-level season. He averaged 29.7 points on 55.9% shooting from the field, including 37.6% from beyond the arc.
Kevin Durant:13x All-Star10x All-NBA4x Scoring Champion2x NBA Champ2x Finals MVP1x MVPFour first-round picks. https://t.co/Cp2XZElA4u
KD is another shooter who can ease the burden on Devin Booker to score. “CP3” will have a dream job running plays for two of the deadliest scoring machines in the NBA.
In last season’s embarrassing elimination at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, the Phoenix Suns were outclassed when Devin Booker had a rough night. When “Book” couldn’t get his shot to land, the Suns completely disappeared in Game 7 in front of their fans.
Monty Williams’ team had the best record in the NBA last season, but was exposed in the playoffs. Except for Booker, Phoenix had no consistent weapon to fall back on, particularly in crucial moments.
Kevin Durant solves that problem and more. Durant’s mere presence forces defenses to take him into account. Any pick-and-roll action involving the two-time NBA Finals MVP is going to be a pain in the ass.
Defenders settling on a Durant-Paul two-man action or a Durant-Booker pick-and-roll will be in a dilemma every time. Only a few well-staffed teams can come up with a consistent solution to solve the problems they present.
Kevin Durant makes Phoenix Suns starting five possibly the best in the NBA
Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton are probably the best four-man group in the NBA. They have playing, shooting, defense and playoff experience, though the team might miss Mikal Bridges, who will join the Brooklyn Nets.
Torrey Craig, who could be inserted into the starting five to replace Bridges, wouldn’t be bad at all. Craig is averaging 7.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 53 games. More importantly, he’s shooting 40.9% from behind the arc, which will only make the Suns’ starting unit more deadly from the perimeter.
With the exception of Deandre Ayton, starting Monty Williams can be counted on to punish opponents from long range. The lineup offers plenty of room for Kevin Durant and Devin Booker to weave their magic.
Durant, most nights, is a walking mismatch. Having Booker alongside KD and letting Chris Paul call the plays is going to be a coach’s dream.
Monty Williams’ job will be to make sure the bench has enough juice to give the starters a breather.
However, when rotations are short, as is the case in any playoff series, the Phoenix Suns, with the addition of Durant, will be hard to beat.
Kevin Durant could change the team’s title hopes. The Phoenix Suns were at least +1800 to win the 2023 championship. That number is about to change significantly once bettors adjust to the impact of the Durant trade to the Suns.
You may also be interested in reading: Kevin Durant to Phoenix Suns Reportedly Confirmed: Trade Terms, Winners and Losers
Poll: Who is your MVP pick for Super Bowl LVII?
4274 votes