The Phoenix Suns have had a very up-and-down season thus far. A seven-game win streak, which came in the midst of an 8-1 start to the year, was a highlight of their success. But since then, things haven’t been going well for the Suns, as they have dropped down to the 10 seed and are on the brink of being out of the postseason picture entirely.
A big part of their recent struggles has been the absence of Kevin Durant, who has been dealing with an ankle issue. Still, with the championship hopes this team clearly has, it’s never ideal to struggle as much as they have with one of their stars out.
Luckily, they got some good news recently.
Kevin Durant is almost back, but the Suns are still a mess
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Suns could see Durant to make his return to action either Friday against the Utah Jazz or Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers.
“There is optimism that MVP candidate Kevin Durant could return from an ankle sprain Friday against the Utah Jazz or Sunday at home versus the Portland Trail Blazers, sources said,” Charania wrote. “The Suns are 11-2 with Durant in the lineup this season -- and 1-9 without the two-time Finals MVP. As the Suns look into trades, they have a 2031 first-round pick and three second-round picks eligible to be moved.”
Obviously, getting Durant back will be great for the Suns. This is a perfect injury update. But perhaps more prevalent than the update itself is the statistic Charania mentioned alongside it.
With Durant active this year, the Suns have been amazing. An 11-2 record would account for the best winning percentage in the NBA. But when he’s out, they are 1-9.
That big of a difference in success is a giant red flag.
The best teams in the league are capable of maintaining some level of success without their stars. The Boston Celtics would be okay if Jayson Tatum missed some time. The Oklahoma City Thunder could get by without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for a bit. The Orlando Magic beat the Suns without Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner active.
Not having Durant will put the Suns at a disadvantage. Any team would be worse off without their star player. But the fact that Phoenix goes from a title contender to a lottery team without Durant is a disastrous realization.
They invested so much money into their current Big 3 that two of them should be able to hold the tide while one is out. But that’s just not the case.
Yes, Jusuf Nurkic and Ryan Dunn have been out for a bit as well, but a 1-9 record is a 1-9 record. And the one difference is clear as day.
If Durant is out, the Suns aren’t a serious contender. And that’s a very, very tough reality to live in.