Kevin Durant a full participant in intense Suns practice and scrimmage, still targeting March 1 debut
Kevin Durant’s return from a knee injury, and official debut with the Phoenix Suns, appears imminent.
Durant participated in an “intense, two-hour workout and scrimmage” on Thursday with the Suns in what was their longest workout since training camp, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Durant was ruled out of the Suns’ game on Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he’s considered day-to-day after his MCL sprain he first sustained on Jan. 8 with the Brooklyn Nets.
Durant will travel with the team on their four-game road trip, which starts Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Wednesday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets is his likely debut date.
"When guys watch him work, I think it's something that inspires people to get after it in their own workouts," Suns coach Monty Williams said, via ESPN. "Because they're not going to find anybody that goes as hard as Kevin. When he's doing his individual stuff it's amazing to watch."
Durant was dealt to the Suns just before the trade deadline in a blockbuster deal that sent Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and several draft picks to the Nets. He practiced in a limited capacity before the All-Star break, but the team didn’t try to rush his return from the injury. He’ll likely be on a minutes restriction when he does hit the court again, too.
Durant has averaged 30 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 38 games this season.
"It was hard to put into words, I can't wait until we do it against other teams," Suns star Devin Booker said Thursday, via ESPN. "A lot of teams have one good defender or two good defenders, now you have to find who you're going to put them on."