When will Kevin Durant play? Potential dates for Suns debut after blockbuster trade from Nets

The reality of Kevin Durant being a member of the Suns may have set in by now, but his debut remains on hold.

Durant, who put up MVP-caliber numbers over his first 39 games this season, has been sidelined since Jan. 8 with a sprained MCL suffered while he was still a member of the Nets. In the weeks since Phoenix acquired the two-time Finals MVP, the anticipation surrounding his first game in a Suns uniform has grown. 

Coming out of the All-Star break, the Suns (32-28) have 22 regular season games remaining to work their way up the Western Conference standings.

While Phoenix will certainly take a cautious approach with its 34-year-old superstar. The sooner it can get Durant in the lineup the better as they’ll look to build chemistry and win games ahead of the postseason.

When will Durant take the floor for the Suns? Here’s what we know about his potential debut.

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When will Kevin Durant debut for the Suns?

Durant has been out for a month, but he is seemingly nearing his return to action. 

At NBA All-Star media day, Durant told reporters that his knee felt “solid” but declined to say whether or not he would be playing in Phoenix’s first game after the break on Friday, Feb. 24.

It’s worth noting that the Suns’ meeting with the Thunder on Feb. 24 has been flexed to a national TV broadcast at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN. The move to put Friday’s game on national TV could be in anticipation of Durant’s debut.

While he has been sidelined for over a month, Durant has been ramping up his participation in non-contact drills during practice.

.@KDTrey5 already working.

📍 @Verizon 5G Performance Center pic.twitter.com/cWHLt7l2QR

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 13, 2023

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Suns schedule 2022-23

Here are the Suns first 10 games coming out of the All-Star break: