After being acquired near the trade deadline, Kevin Durant will reportedly make his debut with the Phoenix Suns next week.
He hasn’t played since Jan. 8 due to a knee injury, but a lot has changed in that time. Things fell apart in an instant when Irving asked for a trade a week before the deadline and was then shipped to Dallas. Two superstars have abandoned ship within.
Kevin Durant to make Suns debut next week
Irving has already played a few games for the Mavericks, but Durant has been back in full health for nearly two months. On Wednesday, it was reported that he would finally make his debut with his new team next week, as the Suns move to Charlotte to face the Hornets on his March 1st. It’s the second of a four-game road trip for Phoenix, and Durant won’t be playing in front of a home crowd until at least March 8 against the Thunder.
Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns are eyeing his Suns debut and will return to action in a road game against the Charlotte Hornets next Wednesday, league sources told @TheAthletic @Stadium. He is on the brink of recovery from the MCL sprain he suffered on January 8th.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 22, 2023
The Suns are currently seeded No. 5 in the Western Conference, but that could change soon. They are just half a game behind his fourth-place Clippers and just one-and-a-half games behind the third-place Kings.
But they also have to watch their backs. The Western Conference is a hot mess with his 10 teams within 4.5 games of him, and Phoenix is in the middle of all the action. The Mavericks are one game behind and will face off in a key matchup next week. But there are other things to worry about as well. The Warriors currently hold the .500 record, but they could run anytime. The Lakers trail the Suns by 4.5 games, but could make a big shift in the standings after reshuffling their roster before the deadline.
Durant and the Suns will be on the lookout for the rest of the NBA season and will begin their title run next Wednesday.