The Suns made a statement right before the trade deadline by acquiring Kevin Durant. Making the most of Kyrie Irving's departure from Brooklyn, Phoenix pulled off a blockbuster deal for the other superstar remaining in the Nets.
Of course, the expectations at Footprint have immediately gone through the roof. The Suns already had a number of stars in Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton. But KD's presence is a game changer.
Now, we're talking about a legitimate title contender. Durant, 35, has the weight of the world on their shoulders since he's the most experienced and successful player on the roster. But in terms of leadership, he believes it takes not one person but the whole team.
Kevin Durant says Suns' leadership not only falls on him
“Leadership is about a group effort," Durant said in his press conference after the Suns' win over the Mavericks on Sunday. "Like we are not going to just look at one guy to have all the answers.
"I think we can all figure it out as a collective and move from there. Like I said, veteran teams that have been through a lot, that have seen some stuff in this league, it's good to have those voices talking in the locker room, it's only gonna make us getter. I'm looking forward to keep building with this team, it's been fun so far.”
Despite the outside noise that has already made him the team's face, Durant has always talked about a team and not about himself. He has nothing but respect for the other stars in the building and knows that he'll need them to take this team to the promised land.
