Kevin Durant is a two-time NBA champion, league MVP, and arguably one of the greatest pure scorers of his generation.
But Durant and the Phoenix Suns’ season came to a screeching halt after the Minnesota Timberwolves went on a four-game winning streak. Durant, 35, played in 75 regular season games, his most since the 2018-19 season.
Durant averaged 27.1 points this season, but the Suns weren’t winning at the pace he was accustomed to during his title-winning days with the Golden State Warriors. Despite the disappointing end to the season, Suns general manager James Jones said the franchise remains focused on being the “first team” to find a way to “get the best out of” their NBA superstar. He said there was.
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Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns during a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on March 1, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina (Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
“I’ll tell you, it’s always a focus for us to continue to figure out how to get the most out of Kevin Durant,” Jones said Wednesday, adding that the team plans to maximize Durant’s talent during the 2023-24 season. When asked if he was particularly successful, he told reporters.
Suns owner Matt Ishbia says the franchise is doing “great” and expects starting pitching to stay the same.
“Nobody’s done that yet. I believe we’ll be the first team to do it. Because if we can get the most out of him, we can get the most out of our entire roster. It’s a better team, but it doesn’t matter. I think Kevin was.” This was a phenomenal season offensively. We are the better team, but I don’t think it matters. ”
Jones added that time simply wasn’t on the Suns’ side as everyone was trying to get on the same page.
“I think he had the best growth of his career this year, so it wasn’t about the offense. It wasn’t about usage or utilization. It was just about when, where and how. It was just a matter of figuring out, “Let’s do it together.” we didn’t have enough time. ”
Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns moves the ball during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on April 6, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Durant won two championships and the 2014 MVP trophy with the Warriors, while leading the league in scoring four times and winning NBA Finals MVP twice. Durant’s long list of individual accomplishments with his former team made Jones’ recent comments somewhat perplexing.
Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns during a game at American Airlines Center on March 5, 2023 in Dallas. (Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
The 14-time NBA All-Star hasn’t returned to the NBA Finals since leaving Golden State, but he played well in the 2021 playoffs for the Brooklyn Nets. In that postseason, he averaged 34.3 points per game.
The Suns acquired Durant from the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster trade in February 2023. Durant played in just eight games with Phoenix in 2022-23 as he endured an ankle injury.
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Since Durant arrived in the Arizona desert, the Suns have never won an NBA title or advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs.
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