NBA Notes: Suns, Kevin Durant, Lakers, Pacers, Bennedict Mathurin

Suns

The Suns are facing a tough reality as their season continues to unravel. Sitting 11th in the Western Conference with a roster that includes the likes of Kevin Durant, they’ve wildly underperformed and are now at a major crossroads.

Basically, the Suns are dealing with a brutal schedule and struggling to find any consistency, despite the talent they’ve accumulated in recent years.

John Gambadoro, a well-connected Phoenix sports radio host, has raised doubts about the Suns’ ability to turn things around. They made high-profile moves, including trading for Durant and Bradley Beal, but those acquisitions haven’t meshed with the team’s needs, especially defensively.

Gambadoro recently pointed out the team’s defensive woes, noting how they’re struggling to contest open 3-pointers — something that was supposed to improve with their revamped roster.

Durant’s leadership, too, has come under scrutiny. For starters, the Suns have lacked a true floor general, and Durant’s individual brilliance hasn’t been enough to carry them. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the Suns’ championship aspirations from last season have not panned out.

Also, with a $450 million payroll and little flexibility, the Suns’ options moving forward are limited. The question now is whether they should consider trading Durant, especially if they miss the playoffs.

Such a move could bring young assets and draft picks, allowing Phoenix to retool around Devin Booker. But it would also signal the end of their championship window and force them into a significant rebuild.

As the Suns continue to flounder, expect serious discussions about Durant’s future to heat up. Whether they’re able to turn it around this season or move on from their star forward, the coming months could reshape the franchise’s future.

Lakers

The Lakers are betting big on small-ball for their playoff push, and it’s starting to look like the key to rejuvenating their season, as noted by Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports.

The shift was on full display in their recent win over the Nuggets, where their small-ball lineup exposed defensive mismatches and maximized offensive spacing. By pulling Nikola Jokic out to the perimeter, the Lakers opened driving lanes and created easier scoring opportunities.

Defensively, the Lakers employed an aggressive game plan, doubling Jokic 40 times, throwing off Denver’s rhythm. This strategy highlighted their defensive versatility, especially with players like LeBron James and Jarred Vanderbilt thriving in this system.

With depth on their side, the Lakers have the flexibility to be a dangerous and versatile playoff team. As O’Connor pointed out, their role players are crucial to maintaining this success. 

But a playoff run will hinge on consistent execution and avoiding matchups that exploit their smaller lineup. If they can maintain perimeter defense and offensive fluidity, the Lakers might just be back in title contention. In short, the final weeks of the season will determine if this strategy can push them to the Finals.

Pacers

The Pacers have managed to navigate early-season injuries, with Aaron Nesmith‘s absence throwing their starting lineup into disarray. In his place, Bennedict Mathurin stepped up, delivering career-high performances. But with Nesmith’s return to the starting lineup just before the All-Star break, the Pacers now have the unit they envisioned at the start of the season.

Mathurin, now back on the bench, can focus on being the primary scorer for the second unit. While his scoring and rebounding have improved, Pacers GM Chad Buchanan has highlighted the need for more consistency in his game.

Speaking on Setting the Pace, Buchanan emphasized that Mathurin must show steadiness in his play, eliminating the “peaks and valleys” common in his development.

Mathurin has shown flashes of brilliance but has also experienced inconsistent outings, such as his eight-point performance against the Nuggets on Monday. The Pacers need him to be a reliable contributor off the bench if they are to make a deeper playoff push.

So far this season, Mathurin is averaging 16.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.