As if things couldn’t get any worse for the Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant suffered a gruesome ankle injury during their home blowout loss to the Houston Rockets in the NBA. He did not return to the game afterward.
It could get even worse. After the game, Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer provided an update on Durant that did not sound encouraging.
Buzenholzer’s Latest On Kevin Durant
Talking with reporters after the game, Buzenholder revealed that Durant will be out for some time. He did not give specifics, but it didn’t sound good.
“We’ll get an MRI on it tomorrow. He’ll stay back [on the road trip], and we’ll assess,” Budenholzer told reporters, per Gerald Bourquet.
The Suns are 35-40, which puts them as the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. This season has been pretty much the worst-case scenario for the Suns. Coming into the season with a new head coach, better rotation players, and more time for their three best players to gel seemed like the beginning of a new chapter.
However, after last season’s disappointing performance, this season has been yet another step back for the team. If it wasn’t already likely enough that Phoenix would miss the playoffs, Durant’s new ankle injury this late into the season pretty much seals the deal.
Durant: Suns’ Shining Light
Durant has been the Suns’ rock in a tumultuous season. Despite being 36 years old, he is still the elite scorer he’s always been, even if the team around him isn’t good enough to carry their own weight.
His absence will make the Suns even more unwatchable than they already are. Keep in mind that they are coming off two consecutive embarrassing blowout losses at home.
Missing the postseason is what’s best for Phoenix, all in all. It’s common knowledge now that this Suns team simply isn’t even a playoff contender.
They signaled that they knew this when they tried to trade Durant at the trade deadline. That demonstrated their awareness that what they’ve tried, as understandable as it was at the time, simply was not a good model for a contender. Even with Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, a team headlined by a trio of stars does not work anymore.
It’s a shame because none of their struggles are on Durant. Despite aging like wine, his efforts have gotten the Suns nowhere.
