Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns got a new lease on life at the trade deadline in the form of Kevin Durant. The Suns instantly became the favorites in the West to win the NBA championship. Though Durant got injured after playing only one game, Phoenix has gone 7-0 with him on the floor.
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Everyone expected Kevin to get traded by the deadline, but no one had expected him to come to the Valley. The trade saw Phoenix sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, first-round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029, and a first-round pick swap in 2028 to the Nets, in return for Kevin Durant and TJ Warren.
Devin Booker, a superstar in his own regard, has been the main scorer for the Phoenix team which has DeAndre Ayton and Chris Paul. Though experts are talking about the team giving up too much depth to acquire Durant, no one is yet to bet against them.
Devin Booker considers himself a student of the game
Devin Booker entered the league in 2015 as the 13th overall pick in the NBA draft. A Shooting Guard for the Phoenix Suns, Booker led the team to the NBA finals in 2021 and was beaten by the Milwaukee Bucks. Devin played a major role in the team’s success averaging 23.9 PPG while shooting 46% from the floor. However, he believes he has much to learn and watches Kevin Durant closely. Listen to what he said:
“I’m still a student of the game… I’m watching every step that [Kevin Durant] makes very closely and I’ve always watched his game that way, but from a distance. Now, the chance to get it live & right in front of you is even better.”
—Devin Bookerpic.twitter.com/f5w1QCqF9N
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 14, 2023
Kevin Durant is one of the most lethal scorers in the game, and with Booker on his side, he will not have to carry the entire burden. All eyes will be on the superstar pairing going into the playoffs.
Kevin Durant and the Suns’ playoff chances
The NBA playoffs are set to begin this week, and fourth-seed Phoenix will be facing off with the fifth-seed Los Angeles Clippers in the first round. The Kawhi-led team has a lot of depth in the league despite the injury to Paul George.
The Suns have not had the time to build chemistry in their starting five and will bank on the experience of Chris Paul to drive the offense. Obviously having two of the game’s most effortless scorers in Booker and Durant helps, but the depth of Phoenix is a concern as two key rotation players were traded for KD.
The teams’ success will also largely depend on the performance of their role players like Josh Okogie, Landry Shamet, and Torrey Craig.
