The Phoenix Suns were defeated by the Boston Celtics on Thursday night, strongly beaten, 127-112, by the Eastern Conference juggernauts.
With a 38-28 record, the Suns are currently the seventh seed in the West and some fans are demanding that they perform better, especially before the playoffs kick off in a few weeks.
Does the team have a leadership problem and, if so, who can fix it?
On Friday’s “First Take,” Kendrick Perkins spoke about the leadership qualities of Kevin Durant, who remains Phoenix’s biggest star.
He said he wants to see Durant act as an extension of head coach Frank Vogel and have frank, difficult conversations with his teammates in order to make them better.
“When you’re a leader, at times you have to get uncomfortable,” Perkins claimed.
"When you're a leader, at times you have to get uncomfortable."@KendrickPerkins on what he wants to see from KD as a leader 👀 pic.twitter.com/9v5sIUjuGX
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 15, 2024
Perkins said that Durant needs to step up and take on the role of the leader of the Suns, no matter how hard that is.
He has every reason and ability to do that, especially because of how great a player he is and how well he has done over the years.
He is an NBA champion, has been to numerous postseasons, and is a skilled veteran, one of the greatest players alive.
He has no excuse to not lead his team, Perkins thinks.
Durant is a future Hall of Famer but there have been many debates about his ability to lead.
Some, like Charles Barkley, have remarked that he’s not a natural leader but instead a follower.
Right now, the Suns look like a squad that has a deep well of talent but still appears a bit rudderless and without direction.
Can Durant give them the direction they require and lead them deep into the playoffs?
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