The MVP Case for Suns Star Kevin Durant

The Suns star is playing some of the best basketball of his career

Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant has been the one constant in a season full of ups-and-downs nearly a month into the 2023-24 season. 

Durant has surprisingly been the only member of the big three that has had good fortune when it comes to health. He has appeared in and started all 13 games this season, and has also played over 37 minutes per game. 

Durant is also experiencing his most productive start to a season since the 2013-14 campaign with Oklahoma City that culminated in an MVP award. 

The torrid start by the "Slim Reaper" has garnered the attention of national media to the point of being frequently mentioned in MVP discussions. 

Analysts such as Jay Williams have been placing KD at the forefront of MVP contenders, with Williams even going to the point of saying the race is between Durant and Boston's Jayson Tatum. 

Durant's numbers and eye test don't do justice to the impact he's made on this Suns squad, even to the tune of 31.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2 stocks (steals+blocks) per contest in a 13-game sample. 

He is also among the five most efficient volume scorers in the league and has played his best defense since his time with the Golden State Warriors.

While Durant has the numbers and clear impact an MVP winner should have, there are two major roadblocks - where the Suns currently sit in the standings and the strong competition from a number of other stars. 

The aforementioned Jayson Tatum is enjoying another elite season on both ends, while leading Boston to the best record in the league through three-plus weeks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the OKC Thunder to a strong 10-4 start while being the engine of their potent offense. 

Mainstays in the MVP convo such as Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry, and Nikola Jokic remain firmly there. While Durant has had as good of a season as anyone, the only player who has a similar record to the Suns that's currently in the conversation is Curry. 

The other issue in the equation is none other than Durant's superstar teammate. 

Devin Booker figures to hurt Durant's case, assuming he stays healthy. The two stars went into the season seen as a 1A-1B tandem, and while Durant helped the Suns stay afloat in Booker's absence, the Suns truly started looking like a different team upon Booker's return as the team's primary ball handler. 

It's extremely difficult to win an MVP when a superstar has another teammate that is as valuable to the team's success as they are, as we've seen in the past with Durant/Curry on the Warriors, among many other instances. 

While Durant has likely been the overall best player this season, he likely must both lead the Suns to a 50+ win season and clearly be the best player on the team to garner enough support to actually secure the award.