The Phoenix Suns have been thriving with their young roster, but they could be set back in the coming weeks with the news that Kevin Durant will miss the remainder of the season following an ankle injury he suffered during pregame warmups for Wednesday’s game against his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Kevin Durant Injury
The 13-time All-Star sprained his left ankle in warmups, and he was later ruled out of the Suns’ win over the Thunder on Wednesday. Torrey Craig started in his place, as the Suns secured their fourth straight victory on Devin Booker’s 44 points.
In the short time since Durant’s arrival on the blockbuster trade deadline deal, he has been one of the hottest players in the NBA. He’s averaging 26.7 points, 7.3 assists and shooting 80.8 percent from the field.
There’s been no lingering problems for the two-time MVP since being traded to the Suns, and his teammates have gotten off to a great start with him in the lineup. He’s averaging 20 points and six assists in his first two games with the Suns, and they’ve already won three of their four games.
He’s also averaging nearly nine rebounds per game and his defense is looking much better than it was in Brooklyn, where he had been playing before the trade to Phoenix. His versatility makes him an asset for any team, and the Suns have been rolling with him since he’s been in the mix.
As with any newcomer, the most important thing is he adapts quickly. The Suns have shown they have the depth to make this work, but it’ll take some time for Durant and his teammates to gel as a unit.
The good news for the Suns is that they have many options to develop the continuity they’ll need to become a true championship team. With a full lineup of young players, they have the potential to be an efficient and competitive team that’s able to win the game’s most important games with ease.