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Durant to Make Phoenix Debut, LeBron Out

Durant to Make Phoenix Debut
Kevin Durant with Phoenix Suns | Image by Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

Two injured NBA stars are heading in opposite directions in their recoveries.

The Phoenix Suns announced via Twitter that recently acquired All-Star forward Kevin Durant will make his team debut when the Suns take on the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte on Wednesday night.

The game kicks off a three-game road trip for the Suns, which concludes in Dallas on Sunday afternoon.

Durant, whom Phoenix acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team trade along with forward T.J. Warren on February 8, has not played since spraining his MCL in early January.

He was originally expected to debut with Phoenix on February 24 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Suns have played six games since acquiring Durant and are 3-3 during that time.

On the other hand, Lakers star LeBron James is expected to miss “several weeks” with an injury to his right foot sustained in Sunday’s win against the Dallas Mavericks.

James suffered a noncontact injury while driving to the basket in the third quarter but stayed in the game and finished with 26 points.

“He’s good,” Lakers head coach Darvin Ham told reporters after the game. “Our medical people are looking at him right now, and we’ll get a reevaluation in the morning.”

According to reports, James has already been ruled out for Tuesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies and underwent further testing on Monday to determine how much time he will miss.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that James is now expected to miss “an extended period of time.”

The Lakers are 5-9 without James this season, and he previously missed a few games before the All-Star break with soreness in his other foot and ankle.

The Lakers (29-32) are in 12th place in the suddenly crowded Western Conference, half a game behind the New Orleans Pelicans for the final play-in spot.

Meanwhile, the Suns (33-29) are in fourth place, ahead of the Dallas Mavericks by one game and trailing the Sacramento Kings by three.

Both teams will have 20 games remaining between March and April.

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