After all these months, Kevin Durant finally got what he wanted when he requested a trade last summer. As part of an agreement between the Nets and Suns, he’ll be joining Chris Paul and Devin Booker in Phoenix to create the NBA’s newest ‘big three.’
But now that Durant is in a new situation, with an even better team than the one he just left, expectations couldn’t be higher.
Speaking on NBA Today, ESPN analyst (and former Celtics big man) Kendrick Perkins was brutally honest about his expectations for the new-look Suns and about how Kevin Durant is facing more pressure than ever to perform.
“They have to win a championship this year,” Perkins said. “Not next year, not the year after next, this year it’s championship or bust. And you talked about legacy, Kevin Durant’s legacy is on the line. Despite what he did with Golden State it’s always gonna be question marks about that. He left Golden State when he had an opportunity to win a couple more championships. He teamed up with Kyrie, then all of a sudden became the biggest disappointment in NBA history. And now you leave again and you going to join Devin Booker and Chirs Paul.”
"[The Suns] have to win a championship this year… Not next year, not the year after next, this year it's championship or bust… [Kevin Durant's] legacy is on the line."
Thoughts on what @KendrickPerkins said here? 👀pic.twitter.com/zn9gvqjM60
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 9, 2023
It’s not like Kevin Durant hasn’t done it before. With the Warriors, he formed the most dominant team ever as he helped the franchise win back-to-back titles.
But this situation with the Suns is different, and it will be up to Durant to ensure they live up to their potential.
Kyrie Irving Could Reportedly Re-Join Durant In Phoenix This Summer
Durant obviously split with Kyrie Irving as a teammate, but they are still close friends and there are rumors they could re-unite soon. Additionally, Irving was secretly eyeing the Suns as a possible destination for his own trade request before he was eventually shipped to Dallas instead.
“If you think this is over, it ain’t over,” said Brian Windhorst. “Kyrie really was interested in being in Phoenix, so just start thinking about that.”
Simply put, this is a championship-or-bust season for the Suns. No matter who may or may not be coming in the future, they finally have the pieces they need to win now, and the entire NBA world will be watching to see how it unfolds.
If KD somehow fails to win a title with these guys, it could damage his legacy in ways never before seen.
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