If there is one word to describe Kevin Durant throughout the Phoenix Suns' recent media day and subsequent opening of training camp, it is most certainly engaged. He was his usual frank self when speaking with the media at the curtain-raiser, while head coach Mike Budenholzer revealed he was leading drills from the front as his 18th season in the league looms.
This might be Devin Booker's team and city - but when it comes to pure talent on any given night - Durant is still as good as anybody in the league. Booker might just enter the MVP conversation in 2024-25 too, but as was the case at times last season, Durant is going to close games and have the ball in his hands when it matters most.
He's also a fan of the Suns' latest roster move in The Valley.
The addition of point guard Tyus Jones was seen as a massive win for the organization when they somehow got him on the minimum during the offseason, and he has come in with his own ideas on how playing for this group is going to work. We already know he is going to start, which is just as well given the Suns' turnover problems last season.
Grayson Allen - who has had to drop out of the starting lineup to make room for his friend Jones - is also cool with this development, although he may have used the gym as a means of coping this summer. The guy is looking massive, so much so that playing some minutes as a smaller four are no longer out of the question for the 29-year-old.
Much like what's happening with Sam Darnald and the Vikings! Tyus Jones is a guy who will surprise people and be talked about highly if the Suns get out to a blazing start! I think @1Tyus is going to lead the NBA in assist this year! Breakout season downloading, watchout 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/OriVHTAbhu
— FLEX From Jersey (@FlexFromJersey) October 2, 2024
Defensively serious questions are going to be asked of the Suns' starting five though, because the combination of Jones, Booker and Bradley Beal aren't going to be able to shut down many opponents on a nightly basis. As a group they've got a small guy in Jones who can get picked on in Jones, an injury-prone third star in Beal and admittedly a very good defender in Booker.
Not that Durant is concerned about this, and he's given the switch from Jones to Allen his full support as he told the assembled media after practice that this new group is "three guys that can handle the ball, bring the ball up, be able to make plays off the dribble. Shoot the basketball as well, it's always good having multiple guys who can do those things."
Durant is right in everything that he has said - the Suns are in a better place with three starters who can do all of those things - but he was really only speaking about the offensive end of the court. The game plan last season most thought was to try and outscore everybody, but the Suns ended up being above league average in defensive rating (12th, 113.7).
We'll see if he's as optimistic about these three playing extended minutes together and making up the core of their postseason guard rotation if they're routinely being beaten by their men. Having Durant and center Jusuf Nurkic behind them certainly helps - while there'll surely be times when head coach Mike Budenholzer goes to a zone to mask their deficiencies - but that can only get you so far.
Jones is going to do a wonderful job of taking care of the ball - while backup Monte Morris and the returning Damion Lee might end up helping in ways we can't yet envision - and Booker plus Beal will routinely go for 45 points a night combined easily. Yet it is that other end, where the Suns need to use all of the smoke and mirrors possible to stop opponents from getting easy buckets.
If nothing else it is encouraging to see Durant so receptive to this lineup change, while also being back in The Valley and leading from the front. The franchise putting themselves in a position early to jump out to a hot start and catch some opponents by surprise. They've already gotten some help in that area too.