The recent trade by the Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant was definitely the biggest move of the season so far.
The impact of this deal will have implications for the rest of the season and perhaps many more in the future.
Most everyone agrees that Durant to the Suns could be a literal league-changing development.
Although this radically alters the rest of 2022-23 and possibly the upcoming NBA Finals, Suns owner Mat Ishbia has his eyes on more than just this year.
“This is not about just winning this year,” Ishbia recently said, as shared by SI’s Chris Mannix.
“This is not about just winning this year. We're going to win again in '27 and '29 and '31. We're going to try to win all the time. I'm not into the planning to win phase, I'm in the let's win today phase and let's win tomorrow phase.” – New Suns owner Mat Ishbia
(via… https://t.co/k7lYiUNFzJ pic.twitter.com/KuZdDlmO2c
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) February 21, 2023
He continued: “We’re going to win again in ’27 and ’29 and ’31. We’re going to try to win all the time. I’m not into the planning to win phase, I’m in the let’s win today phase and let’s win tomorrow phase.”
This is the sort of statement you would expect from a team owner who just made a massive move.
But how realistic is it?
The Suns now revolve around Durant, Chris Paul, and Devin Booker, who are already one of the most fearsome big threes in the West before even playing a game together.
Yet, some people are asking how long this big three will stick together.
Paul is 37 years old and surely nearing the end of his career.
In fact, just days before the Durant trade there were rumors of the Suns looking beyond Paul and thinking of a world where he isn’t playing basketball.
As for Durant, he is 34 but more injury-prone than ever.
Booker is only 26 and could certainly be the future of the team, but we don’t know how much time he will get alongside Durant and Paul.
While Ishbia is planning for a dynasty in Phoenix, the three men at the center of the team right now might not be playing together for the long-term.
No matter how long they are together, they will try to fit as much success as possible into that time.
NEXT: Kevin Durant Talks About The Power Of Player Demands
