SBN Reacts: Lots of skepticism over Suns title chances with Kevin Durant

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Each week we ask questions of the most plugged-in Phoenix Suns fans and fans of all teams across the country.

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After the Phoenix Suns acquired Kevin Durant just before the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline, fans of all teams across the country were asked if they thought Durant could lead the Suns to their first ever championship.

Only 31% of the fans who took the survey think he can bring home the title.

Durant is under contract for three more years after this season, giving him four chances at a ring in a Suns uni. By all accounts, he engineered the trade to the Suns so you know he’s going to give it his all.

“I know it’s always, it’s pressure because I’m one of the best players to play the game.” Durant said during his introductory press conference. “So every time I step on the floor, people are going to expect me to do great things and the team I’m on to do great things.”

Nearly half of fans’ votes to win the Western Conference went to the Denver Nuggets who lead the West at the All-Star break by 5 full games — nearly as large a lead as the Suns had last year at this time (7 game lead), but we know what that got the Suns, don’t we?

Nikola Jokic will likely be the runaway MVP again, for the third year in a row, and has a healthy Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. back for the first time since those three helped Denver make a run to the Western Conference Finals in 2020.

The Suns come in second place in this vote with probably the same 31% of fans thinking the Suns will win the West now.

Vegas thinks a lot more of Suns with Kevin Durant than these fans do, with most sportsbooks laying the best odds on the Suns now. The DraftKings oddsmakers give the Suns the best chance to win the West (+235) and the second-best chance to win the NBA title (+425).

Get your bets in now, folks, because Durant hasn’t even played a game with the Suns yet.

He could make his Suns debut next Friday, February 24, at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder, when the Suns resume games after the All-Star Break. ESPN has already moved this game to their late time slot for national coverage. Durant said today in Salt Lake City at his All-Star press conference that his knee (sprained MCL) feels solid, and he will work with the Suns trainers the next few days to figure out the timing of his return. That sounds imminent to me.

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