Suns Star Devin Booker Issues Powerful Statement on Kevin Durant’s Home Debut

Phoenix Suns star shooting guard Devin Booker issued a powerful statement on Kevin Durant‘s home debut on March 29.

Booker said it was a “big night in the history of the organization.”

“The whole city has been waiting on this,” Booker said. “It was a really special night. Big night in the history of the organization and the fans showed the love that was deserved. I’m happy it came in a win.”

Durant played 29 minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves, finishing with 16 points and eight rebounds while shooting 5-of-18 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. The Suns improved to 4-0 with KD in the lineup.

Phoenix is in fourth place in the Western Conference standings with a record of 41-35.

Devin Booker Wanted the Suns to Trade for Kevin Durant

Booker wanted the Suns to trade for Durant after the two-time Finals MVP requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. However, Booker said the trade was tough since he enjoyed playing with Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson.

“I just wanted it to happen. But it’s tough,” Booker told Sam Amick of The Athletic. “We obviously got back one of the best players ever to play, but we lost a few young studs (to the Nets) too in Cam and Mikal (Bridges). I guess that’s part of the business, but it’s definitely tough. There were rumors and speculation throughout the summertime that (a Durant deal) was gonna happen, and then it was out of the question once they started playing well in Brooklyn. So you know, the Kyrie (Irving) situation went down and that opportunity presented itself again.

“He’s a true hooper, and this is a place that he wanted to go. So he’d obviously seen something in this team. He believes in everybody on this team, and the coach. You know, him and (Suns coach) Monty (Williams) have history (from their time together on Team USA and the 2015-16 season together in Oklahoma City). Him and Chris have Olympic history, just like me and him do. So there’s been a relationship there prior to (the deal) going down. I think that’s step one, knowing what type of person you’re going to get. And he’s just a straight hooper.”

Booker had a tight relationship with Durant before the trade went through, so the two All-Stars haven’t had trouble meshing as teammates.

“We kick it at the crib, but we’d done that before,” Booker said. “Kev was somebody that I’d pull up on even when we weren’t teammates. He’d come by the house when he came to Phoenix, and vice versa. There was never no ‘Let’s play together’ type vibes. It was just kicking it.”

Kevin Durant on Devin Booker: ‘He’s Evolved’

Durant and Booker worked out once last summer. The two scoring machines are motivated to win a championship together in Phoenix.

“I’ve been monitoring Book’s career and following him since he was at Kentucky,” Durant told Shams Charania of The Athletic. “Just his evolution and his growth of his mentality as a player has just been remarkable to see. He can score from every area, knows how to run the point guard and command the offense and us all as well. He’s evolved since he was at Kentucky in a way that I enjoy seeing because he was more so a shooter at Kentucky, and a lot of people didn’t see his full game. A lot of those guys on that team were like that because they were stacked. But once he got to the league, Book showcased his full game and I’ve been following him ever since. It’s good to be on the same team.”

Booker and Durant are averaging a combined 57.4 points on the season.