Phoenix Suns depth chart: What could be the team's starting 5 after the Kevin Durant trade?
The Phoenix Suns have drastically improved their roster by trading for Kevin Durant. The Western Conference team acquired the 13-time All-Star for Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and draft picks.
The Suns are now among the favorites to win the West. They are also on a 3-game win streak and will be very dangerous once Devin Booker and Durant start playing alongside each other.
The Suns' depth chart now looks different with the acquisition of the 2-time NBA champion. Here's a look at how they could line up with Durant in the mix:
Phoenix Suns depth chart after Kevin Durant trade
By trading Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson to the Brooklyn Nets, the Suns lost two starters. However, Durant's addition more than makes up for it as he's one of the best scorers in the league.
KD is currently out with a knee injury, but once he comes back, he will be a sureshot starter. The Phoenix Suns will most likely use the four-time scoring champion at the power forward spot.
Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Torrey Craig, and Deandre Ayton will be the other four starters. Essentially, the superstar forward will replace Johnson in the starting lineup, while Craig will replace Bridges.
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If the Suns don't make more moves by the trade deadline, this is what their depth chart will look like after the acquisition of Kevin Durant and Dario Saric trade.
With Durant, Ayton, and Booker, the Suns have three amazing players in their starting lineup. Paul is a fantastic playmaker, and while he's having one of the worst seasons of his 17-year NBA career, he might find some of his best form alongside KD.
Are the Suns favorites to win the West?
Thanks to the blockbuster trade with the Nets, the Phoenix Suns are in a great position to have a deep playoff run. They made the NBA Finals in 2021 but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks after taking a 2-0 lead.
The Suns could advance all the way to the Finals once again. Beating other contenders in the West, such as the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks, will be tough, but the Suns can certainly do it.
NBA fans would certainly love to see a playoff matchup between Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who now both play in the West. Considering that the Mavs and Suns have the same record (30-26), this may happen in the first round.
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Mat Ishbia, the new owner of Phoenix, has already made a huge move and fans are loving it. If the Suns make it out of the West, they will have a good chance of winning it all for the first time in franchise history.