The Phoenix Suns are in a unique position: They’re quite possibly the only NBA title contender that doesn’t have its starting five set in stone yet. Everyone knows that as soon as he’s healthy, Kevin Durant will assume his rightful place in the Suns’ starting lineup alongside Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. But who will claim that fifth starting spot now that Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson are officially out the door? Following a roller coaster trade deadline and buyout market, the Suns have several options to fill that last remaining slot. Torrey Craig has filled in for an injured Johnson and an absent Jae Crowder for most of the season. Josh Okogie has come on strong recently,…

As the biggest superstar acquisition in Arizona sports history, Kevin Durant had an introductory press conference on Thursday befitting his stature as one of the NBA’s all-time greats. Alongside owner Mat Ishbia and general manager James Jones, Durant sat on the court at the Footprint Center in front of a massive banner with his face plastered next to Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. A crowd of 3,000 fans — max capacity for the event — sat in the stands. Before his arrival, the Suns mascot and cheerleaders tossed out free T-shirts and hyped up the crowd. A highlight package blared on the jumbotron before Durant walked onto the court, greeted by loud cheers and chants of “KD” before…

As of Wednesday morning, Terrence Ross is officially the newest addition to the Phoenix Suns. The team had to wait for Ross to clear waivers from his buyout with the Orlando Magic, but as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski initially reported on Saturday, the 32-year-old wing planned to sign with the Suns. The Dallas Mavericks had emerged as an early frontrunner for his services, but after new owner Mat Ishbia and coach Monty Williams joined the pursuit, the prospect of playing with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant reportedly won him over. Williams said he talked to Ross about his time under coach Steve Clifford as a reference point for some of the things Phoenix does on defense, in addition to where he…

When asked at shootaround what it’s been like to have Kevin Durant as his new teammate, Devin Booker struggled to explain it. “It’s just something that you gotta be around,” he said. “It’s a feeling when you’re around greatness, when you’re around one of the best to ever do it. It’s just a different look, it’s a different feel. It’s kinda hard to put to words, but I’m excited to be a part of it.” Phoenix Suns fans got their first taste of that sensation a few hours later. Although Durant was still sidelined by a right MCL sprain for Tuesday’s game against the Sacramento Kings, the Footprint Center was positively buzzing ahead of the matchup and throughout the evening.…

Only players — and people — of an unbelievably high caliber could leave Phoenix Suns fans feeling conflicted about acquiring one of the 15 greatest NBA players of all time. And yet, even after the dust has settled from last week’s bombshell Kevin Durant trade, the sting of losing two promising wings, class acts and fan favorites like Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson hasn’t quite subsided. Make no mistake about it: Trading the Twins (along with Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and an additional first-round pick swap) for a singular talent like Durant is a no-brainer. Opportunities to acquire a game-changing superstar don’t come around very often, and that’s especially true in the middle of the season. It’s a risky…

Kevin Durant is all anyone in the Valley can talk about, and rightfully so: The Phoenix Suns may have just swung the biggest, riskiest and most dramatic deal in NBA Trade Deadline history. But as the focus shifts to winning that long-awaited title, the other minor piece coming back to Phoenix, T.J. Warren, shouldn’t get lost in the shuffle. That’s not only because Tony Buckets’ return can help the Suns, but also because he’s alarmingly important to their wing depth after shipping off Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson. There’s still a few worthy candidates on the buyout market, but the Suns are going to lean more heavily on this familiar face than people realize. https://twitter.com/KellanOlson/status/1623591378386292737?s=20&t=IetL9e0Ls9Ldiy9pXaAAtQ “T.J. is a natural leader…

Adding Kevin Durant was a monster move for the Phoenix Suns, but they weren’t done with the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline after their blockbuster deal. On Thursday, The Athletic’s Shams Charania broke the news that the Suns were trading Dario Saric and a second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Darius Bazley. The trade was made official Thursday evening, and a team source told PHNX Sports that the second-round pick in question is a 2029 selection. In a statement, new owner Mat Ishbia said, “As we continue to build one of the best organizations in sports, we’re excited to add a young talent like Darius to an already dynamic and deep roster.” Bazley will wear No. 55 in Phoenix. How…

The 2023 NBA Trade Deadline is officially over, and the Phoenix Suns landed the biggest fish imaginable, making the biggest splash in franchise history — and arguably in NBA history as far as midseason deals are concerned. Kevin Durant is joining the Suns, along with T.J. Warren, while the Suns shipped out Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected first-round draft picks and swap rights to another first-rounder in 2028. Phoenix followed up that Wednesday night blockbuster with a depth move on Thursday, dealing Dario Saric and a second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for wing Darius Bazley, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. There are plenty of ripple effects to examine from the KD trade, but for now,…

Kevin Durant is officially a member of the Phoenix Suns. It’s not a late-night fever dream or some groggy, early-morning fantasy; on the first day under new owner Mat Ishbia, and about 14 hours away from the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline, the Suns swung arguably the biggest midseason trade not only in the history of this franchise, but the league itself. As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Suns will be receiving KD and T.J. Warren from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round draft picks and the rights to a first-round pick swap in 2028. All four first-rounders in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029 are unprotected. https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1623564676066934785?s=20&t=getL3JXeKGRh02HFb_kjzQ A blockbuster trade of this…