The Phoenix Suns may have lost Kevin Durant this offseason, but they have been trying to put a brave face on losing one of the best offensive players of all-time. His departure may put Devin Booker under unnecessary pressure to be a creator for this roster once more, but in truth the fit between the two was never as seamless as when Chris Paul was in town.
Booker deferred to Durant anyway - especially in crunch time - while he was more than comfortable to give him the ball in tight situations and let the 36-year-old go to work. Bradley Beal was another story altogether, although he has jumped from the frying pan and into the fire by landing with the L.A. Clippers this offseason.
EuroBasket heroics of Alperen Sengun completely vindicate Durant.
While we have looked at what Durant's departure means for the Suns, it has become clear that Durant was also right to call it a day and move on to the Houston Rockets. They are set up much better to accommodate his offensive style, and in Amen Thompson have a budding two-way star and one of the best defenders in the league already because of his freak athleticism.
But it is Rockets' center Alperen Sengun who may end up being the jewel in the crown here, and the play of the 23-year-old at EuroBasket for his native Turkey has been incredible impressive. So good was Sengun in his side's improbable win over European giants Serbia, that he out Nikola Jokic'd Nikola Jokic in a competitive game. That is an insanely hard thing to do.
Sengun was already on the fast track to success - he was named an All-Star for the first time last season - but this was on another level. Having a big like that who is an elite passer but also above average defender - and only getting better - is a luxury that Durant could only have dreamt of in The Valley, and it further highlights how much their front office fumbled the situation.
While Deandre Ayton was hardly the answer - with respect to Charles Barkley of course - pairing Durant with Jusuf Nurkic was a disaster waiting to happen. The Bosnian was supposed to be a fraction of what Sengun already is - on his day he's an above average passer and offensive pivot - but even Nurkic didn't end up being that.
So Durant has traded in a third option in Beal who didn't play half of the time, and a co-star in Booker who despite playing a different position just never quite fit. The offensive devolving into a "my turn, your turn" experience. Contrast that with the Rockets, and both Thompson and especially Sengun. This represents a better chance for Durant to win a championship than Phoenix ever did.