January prediction: Ayton returns, Durant back in Brooklyn

Happy New Year, and welcome back Deandre Ayton.

The top overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Arizona will make his second trip back to Phoenix on Jan. 1, after the Suns traded him to Portland as part of a threeteam deal Wednesday that sent Blazers All-Star Damian Lillard to Milwaukee.

Phoenix got 7-footer Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson from Portland and Grayson Allen from Milwaukee.

This will be the third regular-season meeting between the Blazers and Suns as they face each other Nov. 21 in Phoenix and Dec. 19 in Portland. They’ll square off one final time on Jan. 14, but this New Year’s Day matchup begins a challenging start to the month for the Suns. Here’s the latest in our month-by-month predictions for the 2023-24 schedule.

January (11-5)

Jan. 1 – Portland Trail Blazers (W). Jan. 3 – Los Angeles Clippers (L). Jan. 5 – Miami Heat (L).

Jan. 7 – Memphis Grizzlies (W).

Jan. 8 – at Los Angeles Clippers (W). Jan. 11 – at Los Angeles Lakers (L). Jan. 14 – at Portland Trail Blazers (W).

Jan. 16 – Sacramento Kings (W). Jan. 19 – at New Orleans Pelicans (W).

Jan. 21 – Indiana Pacers (W).

Jan. 22 – Chicago Bulls (W).

Jan. 24 – at Dallas Mavericks (L). Jan. 26 – at Indiana Pacers (W).

Jan. 28 – at Orlando Magic (W).

Jan. 29 – at Miami Heat (W).

Jan. 31 – at Brooklyn Nets (L).

By George: The Suns continue a sixgame homestand to begin the month.

Ja Morant will be back by then for the Grizzlies, but the Jan. 3 Clippers matchup will be Paul George’s first visit to Phoenix since Devin Booker responded to his “four rings” interview with Klay

Thompson.

If healthy: The Pelicans looked like the best team in basketball when taking two from the Suns last season with a full-tilt Zion Williamson. If he’s right physically, oh, it’s on Jan. 19 in New Orleans.

Welcome back to Brooklyn: Durant makes his return since the blockbuster deal right before the Feb. 9 trade deadline that sent him to Phoenix and dealt Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson to the Nets.

Wonder how Durant will be received since Brooklyn didn’t win a title with Kyrie Irving, James Harden and himself?

32-16.