Durant to join Suns after road trip but won’t play yet

INDIANAPOLIS – Devin Booker was set to return Friday at Indiana to conclude a five-game road trip after sitting out in Thursday’s loss at Atlanta under groin injury management, while newly acquired Kevin Durant won't connect with the team until after the road trip.

Booker returned Tuesday at Brooklyn after being sidelined 21 games with a left groin strain.

The Suns (30-27) are still without Cameron Payne (right foot sprain) and Landry Shamet (right foot soreness). Payne hasn’t played since Jan. 4 at Cleveland while Shamet hasn’t seen action since Jan. 16 at Memphis.

New additions Durant, T.J. Warren and Darius Bazley will meet up with the team back in Phoenix at some point. The Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four future first-round picks and a pick swap to Brooklyn for Durant and Warren late Wednesday night.

They later traded Dario Saric and a second-round pick Thursday to Oklahoma City for Bazley before the trade deadline.

Durant isn’t expected to return from a right MCL sprain until after the AllStar break as he’s been ruled out of the Feb. 19 All-Star Game in Salt Lake City. Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left superior tib/fib sprain) and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (strained right hamstring) won’t play in the All-Star Game, either.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver named Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Kings guard De’Aaron Fox and Raptors forward Pascal Siakam as injury replacements.

Averaging 29.7 points a game, the 610 Durant last played on Jan. 8 at Miami.

Warren is coming off a 17-point performance Tuesday against Phoenix in his last game with the Nets. The 6-8 forward is averaging 9.5 points this season as he missed all last season with a foot injury.

Bazley last played Monday at Golden State as he scored three points in nine minutes.

Averaging 5.4 points this season, the 6-8 Bazley didn’t see action in his final game with the Thunder on Tuesday against the Lakers in Los Angeles when LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s alltime leading scorer.

After Friday’s game, the Suns won’t play again until Tuesday against Sacramento in Phoenix. They’ll then take on the Los Angeles Clippers at home on Feb. 16 before the All-Star break.

Phoenix will come out of the AllStar break on Feb. 24 against Oklahoma City before beginning a four-game road trip on Feb. 26 at Milwaukee.