Suns Will Allow Kevin Durant to Be Himself
Phoenix Suns Head Coach Monty Williams and ancient Chinese philosopher Loa Tzu have nearly next to nothing in common. They share only one trait in a question asked often: What defines a leader?
In the words of Tzu, “a leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”
While Durant will never truly be able to “disappear” into the array of basketball mania in Phoenix, he does have a newfound luxury that hasn’t been afforded since his days at Golden State: He can just be the best he can be on the court - and nothing more.
For a player of Durant's stature, he's always carried the load of whichever team he's led on to the court.
Now, Durant enters a Suns team that will still rely on him as a primary scorer but won't look to him to be a focal point in the locker room with just 19 games left in the regular season.
Williams spoke on Durant and what his expectations would be for him in his new home.
“I told him, I said, ‘I’m not looking for you to lead. We just want you to be yourself and hoop,’ and I think that’s where he’s the most free to be himself," said Williams before expanding on the idea that he feels top guys in the NBA are automatically expected to lead.
“I think there’s too many players in the NBA that get too much pressure to lead. I just don’t think it’s necessary. It’s my job to lead.”
This is not to say the gravity of Durant being in a Suns uniform hasn’t impacted his teammates.
"It’s been interesting to hear the comments from the different players and the different people in the gym when they see him go through his workout. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before and I think that’s had a huge impact on everyone in the building," Williams said.
The Suns' culture feels as if it's been tested this year more than any in the Williams era. Durant trade rumors swirled a summer that also featured nonstop news on Deandre Ayton and Jae Crowder. Unanswered questions about dealing Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson still exist, too.
For now it looks like Williams has kept Phoenix from imploding the same ways that Brooklyn did. Durant now has a chance to be just one of the guys with Paul and Booker leading the way.
