thamadkant wrote:ChuckS wrote:BobbieL wrote:
I just don't see it with Booker, Beal and Durant. It hasn't worked And since the organization won't get move on from Booker, they have to trade Durant - -that is if they want to start winning and moving forward
Booker and Durant together I just don't think are the right players next to each other. Need to complement each other and they don't which is the point you made. Before Durant, this was a team. KD was not good for Booker
A few herein seem to believe that KD is some Svengali who has somehow corrupted or manipulated the otherwise intelligent and competent Booker. But Books' last seven years have been remarkably consistent, with his two best scoring years since KD's arrival. I can't attribute his highest season scoring year to KD who played only 8 regular season games with the team in 22/23. But the playoff loss to Denver was another matter. KD, to me, was still not acclimated, but averaged 29 points per to outperform Murray. Devin, on the other hand was awesome. He had the best of his four playoff performances, averaging 33.7PPG @58.5/50.8/86.6% to offset Jokic. We lost, but not because of our two best players doing their jobs by outscoring theirs. The next year with KD the Suns were swept by the larger/better team but Booker averaged 27.5PPG @49.2/35.1/95.1. His in season average was his second highest at 27.1 per. (KD equaled that in season number, was an all star, and 2d team NBA, Book NBA3d.)
It's common to remember the most recent happening. This year was Book's lowest with KD at 25.6, with his 2d worst 3pt%. But the difference wasn't Durant, but a new coach with an emphasis on shooting threes, and also the necessity for Book to oftentimes play the one. I think the two are very compatible, and have balanced their talents to excellently co-exist.
Troy Brown from Nuggets said it best when they defeated Suns... he described the suns as not a good team. KD and Booker played a two man game team be damned. Ayton averaged 13fga before KD which was already low and his fga went down to 7fga... look it up. His averages as well as CP3'S drastically went down post KD.
Kevin Durant played only eight regular season games, so his in season affect on anyone was minimal. Ayton averaged 18 points per and CP3 13.9.
In the playoffs is when Ayton went from 18 points and 10 boards to 13.4 PPG and 5 rebounds, on 2 less shots per (13.2 to 11.1). I remain convinced that his problem was Jokic, who averaged 34.5 points and 13.2 rebounds, not Devin or KD.
Chris Paul was less affected. He only dropped from 13.9 to 12.4, but with 2 more shots per. But he, too, had his hands full with Murray who went from 20 in season to 26.1.
I think it is consistent, but beyond disingenuous, to fault the the team's only two great performances -- Books' 33.7 PPG and KD's 29 per. I believe the real world, as do most Suns' fans, know who are the best players.
