Photo via Yahoo Sports

Bright Side Wonders, Week 4: On the eve of the season, Kevin Durant takes over the discourse

As the Phoenix Suns prepare to kick off the 2026-2027 NBA season, the team’s offseason roster decisions are already under scrutiny—particularly the trade for Kevin Durant, which owner Mat Ishbia has since called a misstep. With the Suns now entering a new campaign without Durant, fans and analysts are debating whether the franchise could have built a stronger roster in February 2023, when Ishbia acquired the team.

At that time, Phoenix held key assets like draft picks and players such as Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, and Cam Johnson, alongside a disappointing playoff exit to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The question lingers: could a different approach have set the Suns up for greater success sooner, rather than chasing Durant’s star power in hindsight?

On the court, the Suns’ starting lineup for opening night remains a topic of discussion, especially at the center position. Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro have both earned starting minutes in preseason action, with Maluach taking the nod in the final three games, including the team’s last scrimmage featuring the core of Jalen Green, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Miles Bridges.

While Ighodaro sat out the last two preseason games, his readiness for the regular season suggests he could still factor into the rotation. Meanwhile, the Suns enter a Western Conference reshaped by the departures of LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and Anthony Davis, following a surprising 45-win season last year that earned them a playoff berth despite losing Durant and Bradley Beal.

This year, expectations are tempered, with sportsbooks and prediction markets projecting a more modest campaign ahead.

Up nextWNBA· 4h ago

Candace Parker Makes Awkward Kevin Durant Blunder Live on Rockets vs. Spurs Broadcast as Fans Quickly Call Out WNBA Legend