2. Kevin Durant
Durant does not quite fit into the same category as Booker, but the 35-year-old did take a hit this postseason. Again like Booker he was stellar during the regular season, and even had a case to get some All-Defensive love, which ultimately did not happen.
But this was the playoffs where a young star on the rise in Edwards went and Durant, and he completely dominated him in the series sweep. That hasn't happened before, and the inability of Durant to elevate his game and score timely buckets was part of the reason why the Suns went down with a whimper against the Timberwolves.
Kevin Durant working on his jumpshot in the club 😅 pic.twitter.com/W6mtwCdVFW
— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) June 3, 2024
Being that closer was exactly why owner Mat Ishbia went out and got the superstar as well, and he failed to deliver on a stage where he so often has in the past. Durant is obvously much closer to the end of his career than the start, and yet this was the first time it really looked and felt that way.
Couple that with the fact he couldn't make things work with the Brooklyn Nets - and that those championships with the Golden State Warriors continue to fade further into the distance - and there is no doubt Durant's stock took a hit league wide. Having him on your team no longer guarantees contention, which is the very reason the Suns went and got him in the first place.