Durant would play if it were playoffs
GM Jones offers take on star’s current situation
SAN FRANCISCO — Kevin Durant’s left ankle sprain wouldn’t prevent him from playing if the Phoenix Suns were in the postseason right now.
“If the playoffs started today, he’d be out there,” Suns president of basketball operations and general manager James Jones said. “He’d be struggling a little bit.”
Durant twisted his left ankle during his pregame workout before what would’ve been his home debut Wednesday and will be re-evaluated in three weeks, the team announced Thursday evening.
Jones sat down with The Republic before Saturday’s home loss to Sacramento and discussed several topics. In Part 1, he talked about Durant, the status of the team as the Suns (37-30) play Monday at defending NBA champion Golden State (35-33) and the play of Devin Booker since teaming up with the two-time finals MVP.
What were those 24 hours like from when Durant twisted his ankle to receiving the diagnosis?
“I was on the floor when he did it. So, I saw when it happened. It was just waitand-see. He sprained his ankle. He continued to finish working out. Went to the back, said he was a little sore and hobbled around a little bit. Then he got on the table and was like ‘I feel a little stiff.’ We examined it. Got him on the table. Doctors took a look at him and said, ‘Hey, he sprained it pretty good. We should probably just go and be cautious. Take it slow. He wanted to play, he was still itching to play but we have a longterm view. Come to find out it’s a pretty moderate sprain, good enough to hobble him around a little bit.”
The Suns are 3-0 with Durant on the floor. Averaging 26.7 points in those games, Durant went for 37 in last week’s win at Dallas as he hit the game winning basket with 12.4 seconds left.
“I’ve been around this long enough to know that injuries happen. Sprained ankles are common. So, for us, it was wait to see and make sure he’s good. For the rest of the guys, it just creates an opportunity for the rest of the guys to step up. It actually created some space for guys like Terrence (Ross) to really get a rhythm and get a flow and get acclimated because Kevin is a big part of what we do. Like I said, he fills a big space in the offense so when he’s not with us, other guys get a chance to just hoop a little bit.”
Ross, who Phoenix acquired in the buyout market, has scored 42 total points on 57.6% shooting (10-of-20 from 3) in Phoenix’s last two games Durant has missed.
Are you concerned at all because Durant has had a history of injures?
“No. Players that play and play a lot it get banged up, but it’s a sprained ankle. It’s the type of thing that if we’re in the playoffs, if the playoffs were to start today, he’d be out there. He’d be struggling a little bit. I’m always concerned for our players’ health when guys are hurt. I’ve been in that seat where you’re hurt. You’re always concerned about health, but anything long-term, severe, no, not (concerned) at all.”
Durant missed 20 games this season with a right MCL sprain suffered Jan. 8 at Miami when he was with Brooklyn.
Are you happy with where the team is right now considering the injuries, different lineups (23) and bringing in new players via trades?
“I like the group. I like where we’re headed, and I like what we’re building. We’re different than what we were in the past. We’ve added some more experience. We’ve added different types of players and we’ve added some motivated players. We have guys that are playing for something and see any opportunity here to win. They were coming from situations where their circumstances were up and down, too, trying to figure it out, but it’s a fresh start them and it’s a fresh start for our team.”
The Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and a pick swap to Brooklyn for T.J. Warren and Durant right before the Feb. 9 trade deadline as well as dealt Dario Saric and a second-round pick to Oklahoma City for Darius Bazley.
“Anytime you make a trade with good players, and you trade good players, it injects a sense of urgency. It injects some excitement because it kind of reshuffles everything. Everyone kind of picks it up because you’re competing and fighting again for those minutes in that position in the rotation you had. It’s a healthy competition and I love healthy competition.”
Mavs coach Jason Kidd said he felt as if Booker has been even more aggressive with Durant on the team. Is this him taking his game to another place or just a continuation?
“Devin is just continuing to progress. A lot of it is just Devin is healthy. He’s rolling into form at the right time. He had a groin injury, which is the toughest type of injury to sustain because you can’t move. You have to guard yourself. You have to be guarded, but him coming back fresh and adding Kevin. Kevin has a lot of gravity. So, it gives Devin more space to operate. It’s allowed him to explore his game and be more creative.”
Booker averaged 36 points in his three games with Durant in earning Western Conference Player of the Week honors, but he’s followed that up with 44 against Oklahoma City and 28 versus Sacramento without Durant.
“You’re seeing it with his ball handling. You’re seeing it with his attacks, his aggression. There’s one less defender paying attention to him, sometimes two less defenders because he has Kevin. Anytime you can have those two primary guys operating on each side of the floor, it just makes it easier to play and (Booker) has just been aggressive because those opportunities are presenting themselves. He’s seeing lanes. He’s seen driving lanes and open spots on the floor that he hasn’t seen in the last few years.”