Why Trading for Kevin Durant is Worth it for the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns have never won an NBA Championship in their 54-year history. The state of Arizona has not won a championship in any of the four major sports in over 20 years.
Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Chris Paul can bring home a championship to the Valley. Durant won an Olympic Gold Medal with both Paul and Booker. He holds an immense amount of respect for Booker and Suns Head Coach Monty Williams.
Durant’s comments on Booker during their shared Olympics experience speaks volumes about his thoughts on Booker:
"“It just shows you how all-around D-Book is. Lot of people look at him because he’s such a pretty scorer, he can do things so effortless. But he is a savant. He wants to be an all-around basketball player.”"
Durant also had nothing but high praise for Williams, noting how his excellent communication skills make him an excellent coach.
"“He knows how to talk to people, for one. He knows how to communicate and he’s honest,” Durant said. “That’s lacking in our world in general. It’s just truth. Especially when you’re talking to him on the basketball court, you have a group of guys that will get better. He has a young core that is hungry to get better and is hungry to have some success.”"
He also fits perfectly in Phoenix’s offense. The “elbow” action is an offensive set that Williams frequently runs with Chris Paul manning the controls. The Point God has several options that come out of this set to exploit overmatched defenses.
The elbow action featuring Paul, Booker, and Durant would present an impossible choice for opposing defenses.
- Durant (3 in this example) can catch the ball going to the basket with a head of steam
- Booker (2 in this example) will be open for a corner 3 if the defense collapses on Durant
- Deny both Durant and Booker then Paul (1 in this example) gets to operate a pick-and-roll against no help defense whatsoever
The Suns will have the most efficient half-court offense in NBA history. There is not going to be a single counter to this play when all of Paul, Durant, and Booker are on the court. Their Big Three will be as unstoppable as the Warriors trio of Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson.
There is no denying that losing Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, and Cameron Johnson will hurt on both ends. All three players have nearly irreplaceable roles for the Suns.
Guess what? Durant is irreplaceable too!
The Suns will fill out the rest of their roster with ring-chasing veterans and unheralded young players. As always, Monty Williams will take their game to new heights. It has never been about one player as long as Williams has been the coach.
Durant will play at a whole new level in Phoenix. The burden that he carried in Brooklyn will be lifted almost entirely. He was an elite rim protector back when he played for the Golden State Warriors. With Paul and Booker helping shoulder the offensive burden that he carried in Brooklyn, he can become an elite defender once again.
Booker is also an excellent defender. Paul has always been very scrappy. Jae Crowder will be motivated to get paid once again when he becomes a free agent in 2023. Expect him to step up in a big way with Bridges and Johnson gone.
The Suns have two underrated centers, Jock Landale and Bismack Biyombo, to replace Ayton. The center position cannot become a liability for the Suns defensively. Even if it does become one, the Suns can close games with Durant at center.
So why not trade for Kevin Durant?