Kevin Durant is the newest member of the Phoenix Suns. The 13-time All-Star was traded to the Western Conference team just before the trade deadline, but he hasn't played for the Suns yet.
KD held his first press conference with Phoenix on Thursday and had a few interesting things to say:
"I know there's always pressure because I'm one of the best players to ever play the game," Durant said during the conference. "Every time I step on the floor, people are going to expect me to do great things."
"I enjoy getting better as a player every day," Kevin Durant added.
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The 2-time NBA champion also said that he and the Suns want to get the most out of this opportunity. KD was accompanied by Mat Ishbia, the new owner of the Suns, and James Jones, the team's president and general manager.
Kevin Durant held his first press conference with the Phoenix Suns
Since winning two championships with the Golden State Warriors, Durant hasn't had much success. He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2019 but missed his entire first season with the team.
After three and a half seasons in Brooklyn, he was eventually traded to another team. The Nets have dealt with a lot of issues lately, which is why the 4-time scoring champion wanted to be somewhere else.
During his introductory press conference, the superstar forward also spoke about his tenure with the Nets. He pointed out how he didn't spend much time playing alongside Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
"We just didn't get on the court enough," Durant said. "It was amazing basketball for 17 games, though."
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Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers last season, while Irving refused to get vaccinated. Due to this, the super team wasn't able to stay on the floor together, which was very unfortunate for basketball fans.
When will Durant play his first game for the Suns?
The newest member of the Suns has been dealing with knee issues and has been sidelined for an extended time. Durant has missed the last 17 games and has also been ruled out against the LA Clippers on Thursday night.
Fortunately, the Suns have been doing well lately, winning seven of their last 10 games and climbing back to the fourth spot in the Western Conference.
After their matchup against the Clippers, the Suns will enjoy the All-Star break and have a chance to recover.
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The Suns will go on a four-game road trip shortly after the break and this is when Kevin Durant could return. Considering that he will be out for at least another week, we expect him to return in late February or early March.
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