Getty Kevin Durant is introduced as a Phoenix Sun for the first time.
On March 1, All-Star forward Kevin Durant will make his debut with the Phoenix Suns. After an abrupt end to his three-and-a-half seasons in a Brooklyn Nets uniform, Durant says he is ready to move on and says his focus has been on becoming “comfortable” in his new home.
“I was just trying to get out there (to Phoenix). I left New York the day after (the trade). I’ve been in Phoenix since then. So, I’ve been just trying to get comfortable where I was going to be,” Durant said to Bally Sports NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson on March 1.
“I feel like I’m going to be asked to do a multitude of things, so I got to be prepared for it.”
Kevin Durant on what he did after Nets trade to Suns: “I left New York the day after (the trade). I’ve been in Phoenix since then. So I’ve been just trying to get comfortable where I was going to be.”
Check out my story at @BallySports ➡️ t.co/zCVqBIUzTB
Despite being traded on February 9, Durant has yet to play in a Suns uniform because he did not get cleared to return from a sprained MCL he suffered on January 8 while still a member of the Nets. He will make his debut against the 14th place Charlotte Hornets.
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Kevin Durant Co-signs Carmelo Anthony Return
Getting comfortable will be essential for the two-time NBA Finals MVP. Durant has missed nearly two months of action and will return to an entirely different team.
And after the Suns had to gut their roster to land Durant, parting ways with Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, and Cameron Johnson to get the deal done, they may have to look at a very scarce list of end-of-the-year free agents to complete their team as they gear up for the playoffs. One player that could be considered is All-Star free agent Carmelo Anthony.
Carmelo may not be the offensive threat he once was, but he still has the tools to be a key contributor. Last season he averaged 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and shot 44% from the field for the Los Angeles Lakers. For reference, his points per game average is higher than Josh Okogie and Torrey Craig, who are high-usage rotational players in the Suns’ lineup. When asked about Melo’s current free agenct status Durant told Scoop B, he believes Melo is still good enough to crack an NBA roster.
“I think he has the talent to play in our league,” Durant said via Bally Sports.
As an All-NBA forward, 10-time All-Star, and scoring champion, Carmelo has a well-decorated NBA career. But one of the things that has eluded him is winning an NBA title. And at 38 years old, his career is entering its latter days. With the Suns now primed to compete for a championship with the addition of Durant, Anthony could give Phoenix a boost off the bench with his scoring ability and unquestionably give himself the best chance of his career to win a title.
Kevin Durant Breaks Silence About Kyrie Irving
When Durant joined the Nets in 2019, he envisioned delivering the franchise their first-ever title. But that vision included him playing alongside All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving. When Irving got traded to the Dallas Mavericks at the deadline, that vision quickly faded, and he intimated his desire to move on.
Irving making a trade demand despite the Nets already being in a prime position to be top competitors shocked many people, including Durant, who admits he is “disappointed” he and Kyrie did not finish the year together.
“We all move and do the things that we want to do for our careers. I can’t fault somebody for doing that even though it might have been at our expense as a team. … I don’t want to act like I wasn’t upset that we didn’t finish the season, because I love playing with [Irving]. I wanted to see where we can go with that because we were both playing at a high level,” Durant said on his podcast “The ETCs” on February 28.
“What [Kyrie] was doing behind the scenes, what his contract negotiations was, I don’t want to even think about none of that stuff. Whatever he is doing, that’s him. … We haven’t had a conversation, but eventually, we will.”
Kevin Durant Talks about Kyrie Irving decision
H/T via 🎥 @boardroom