A great deal; Phoenix had given out the best defender on trade. If Suns Have Early Know…
After this season, Kevin Durant has two more seasons left on his contract, but it is rumored in the NBA that the 35-year-old superstar may think about moving again if the Phoenix Suns don’t make a deep playoff run.
An Eastern Conference told Howard Beck of The Ringer, “[Durant] for sure looks around.” “Durant always has a wandering eye.”
With Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal arguably the most prominent trio in the league, the Suns are currently 32-22 but only fifth in the Western Conference.
Granted, those three have only played in 22 games together, but in those games, they have largely excelled as a team, recording a 12.7 net rating, according to NBA.com. In those games, the team’s record is 14-8.
The Suns effectively destroyed their depth chart to acquire Durant and Beal, which was another significant problem earlier in the season. However, the addition of Royce O’Neale and David Roddy at the trade deadline raised the caliber of their supporting cast. The team still has one roster spot available to sign a quality veteran after adding Thaddeus Young in the buyout market.
All of this suggests that the Suns, who had better depth at the beginning of the season, could be much better than we’ve seen them thus far and make the playoffs this year. And with the firepower the team has in Durant, Booker, and Beal, that’s a risky proposition for the rest of the NBA.
However, a number of teams would probably contact Durant if he starts to attract attention. There aren’t many players who can shoot the ball more efficiently.
But before leaving, would Durant really only give the Suns a few months to learn their lessons? Even for him, it would be an instant trigger. It’s likely that the team has gained some goodwill because of its willingness to completely rebuild the roster in an attempt to win titles.
But you never know. It would undoubtedly heighten the intrigue of the impending summer.
