This summer, the Suns made a major splash by adding Bradley Beal to form a big three alongside Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. When adding free agents to fill out its roster, Phoenix might have found the perfect complementary piece in Yuta Watanabe.
Watanabe, 28, is entering his sixth NBA season with his fourth franchise. Last season, Watanabe turned in the best season of his professional career, appearing in 58 games with the Nets, a time in which he shared the floor with Durant for 25 games.
However brief, the time that Durant and Watanabe spent as teammates in Brooklyn means that the two enter the 2023-24 season with pre-existing chemistry. Given the Suns’ title aspirations in the upcoming season, the team will need as much chemistry to work from as possible.
Exemplifying the connection between the two is the glowing way that Durant spoke of Watanabe last season. Look back at some of the most notable things Durant said about Watanabe.
What Kevin Durant said about Yuta Watanabe during their time as Nets teammates
One of Durant’s first instances of giving high praise to Watanabe came 10 games into the season as Watanabe had big moments for Brooklyn in a comeback win on the road in Charlotte.
Watanabe, who finished the game with eight points in 23 minutes, was assisted by Durant on a crucial 3-pointer that aided the Nets’ comeback efforts. Durant had plenty to say on Watanabe postgame.
First of all, he provides length, shooting touch, athleticism. He’s always in the right spots. He’s always just playing hard. If you make a mistake, we’re going to cover for each other and he’s making that second or third effort to be there.
He’s shooting the ball with confidence right now, so he’s able to help us play that small lineup when he can play the 4 or 5 sometimes, so that brings another dimension to our team. I’m excited for Yuta, he’s been grinding since he’s been in the league — played on some great teams. He played in Toronto, so they taught him a lot about winning basketball. It’s good to have him here.
Less than two weeks later, Durant spent time raving about Watanabe as he discussed the first month of the season during an episode of his podcast, “The ETCs.”
Among the elements of Watanabe’s game that Durant discussed was his hustle.
I think I might have to tell him at this point, relax a bit. He flying around everywhere. I look up, and Yuta’s on the floor. He flipped over somebody, he’ll try to chase a rebound, fall, and hop back up so quick. I’m about to start telling him, yo, we need you on the floor bro. I know you’re playing so hard, but some of these possessions, you might just have to jab at it a little bit and wait for the next opportunity. That’s probably something he’ll ignore me on, because he plays extremely hard on every possession.
He continued by raving about Watanabe’s jump shot, going as far as to say his fundamentals look “perfect.”
He in the right spot. His jump shot is looking solid right now. His fundamentals look perfect on that joint. I’m happy for him. Anybody that comes in here, you don’t know what kind of opportunity you’re going to get and you find your role so fast, that’s what the NBA’s about today.
What Kevin Durant’s words say about what Yuta Watanabe brings to Suns
It’s first worth acknowledging the length and athleticism that Durant mentioned when speaking on Watanabe, who, at 6-foot-8, does have the size to play multiple positions.
Given the depth Phoenix sacrificed in order to acquire Beal, Watanabe’s versatility gives the team more flexibility in the lineups it rolls out. His hustle and shooting ability mean that he can be a floor spacer in the front court in small-ball lineups in which Durant plays the center position.
It’s no secret that each of Beal, Booker and Durant enjoy operating in the midrange. As Durant mentioned, Watanabe is an effective 3-point shooter thanks to his “perfect” fundamentals and confidence from deep.
Last season, Watanabe connected on 44.4 percent of his 2.3 3-point attempts per game. Even more impressive is that Watanabe connected on 51.8 percent of 83 attempts deemed wide open on NBA.com Stats. He will certainly get plenty of clean looks alongside Phoenix’s talent.
Durant, who is unquestionably one of the greatest players to ever play the game, clearly knows a thing or two about the game of basketball. It should come as no surprise that his eye for talent identified a number of elements of Watanabe’s game that allow him to be an effective contributor for a title-contending team.
Don’t be surprised when Durant spends more time raving about Watanabe now that they’ve reunited in the Valley of the Sun.
