A New "Super Team" Has Emerged in Phoenix: How Far Can They Go?
At 1:30 am MST on February 9, the Phoenix Suns pulled off the seemingly impossible, trading for Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant without giving up any of their existing top three players. A starting lineup consisting of Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Durant, and Deandre Ayton is unfathomably good, regardless of who their fifth starter is.
Sure, Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson will be missed; however, the return they get with Durant highly increases their odds at an NBA championship.
That said, the question for Suns fans is how far this team can truly go. On paper, this team looks unstoppable, but there are a lot of factors that come into play.
Is depth a limiting factor in the playoffs?
The short answer is no. Even so, much of the criticism this team has gotten since the trade is about the talent on their bench. Ironically, the trade for Durant didn't affect their bench in the slightest.
In fact, they further improved their bench, (sadly) trading away Dario Saric to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Darius Bazley.
Furthermore, Phoenix can absolutely run multiple starters with their bench lineup with the amount of talent they have in their starting five. One of Booker, Paul, and Durant should be on the court at all times, controlling the offense with a very solid supporting cast consisting of Cam Payne, Bazley, Torrey Craig - assuming TJ Warren starts- Josh Okogie, Damion Lee, and Bismack Biyombo.
Their bench isn't even close to a liability, nor will it be in the playoffs. Shortened rotations will give the stars more time to shine and have the best support possible when they have to rest their starters.
Is Kevin Durant's availability a genuine concern?
There's no point in sugarcoating an answer to make the deal look better for the Suns; yes, Durant is injury prone. The thought at the back of every Phoenix fan's mind is, "If he gets hurt, we traded away Bridges for nothing." While the cause for concern is more legitimate with Durant's injury history, including this season, it's a risk that has to be taken. The previous roster with Bridges was good - very good at that, but it didn't have the "it factor" that made them a true contender.
Two seasoned veterans who saw little playoff success by themselves, Paul and Durant, will aid the younger Booker and Ayton in big-time games. Regardless, Durant will be an extra coach on the bench when he's not playing, but ideally, he'd remain healthy for the remainder of the season. Nothing's perfect, making that ideal unlikely, but if he's available in the playoffs, the Suns will be the team to beat.
Devin Booker will be as free as ever.
Booker has had seemingly little help as of late, adding more pressure on him to succeed as an individual. The Suns were by far the worst team in the league without him this season, plummeting down the standings rapidly. That said, even when he was playing, he couldn't do everything alone.
This isn't to say he had no help at all, as Paul and Ayton have done their part on numerous occasions. But adding a player that is undisputedly better than Booker to the team allows Booker to have some off nights without worrying about a loss. It will likely take some time to adjust to not being an immediate first option, but Durant and Booker will likely get opportunities to score with the other on the bench.
The wisest move would be to do what Doc Rivers has failed to do with the Philadelphia 76ers and keep one of their superstars on the court at all times. Thus, keeping each player satisfied with their role with the team.
*If* all goes according to plan, how far can the Suns go?
This roster is, without a doubt, a championship roster. Their offense is outstanding, and even an average defense is enough to make this team elite. Some fans were hoping for Kyrie Irving, but targeting Durant couldn't have gone better for Phoenix.
They have the tools to do what's never been done before in franchise history; only time will tell if they can execute how they're expected to.
