Is Kevin Durant playing tonight against the Indiana Pacers? | February 10, 2023 | 2022-23 NBA Season

Ever since Kevin Durant sprained his MCL against the Miami Heat last month, fans have since been anxiously awaiting news on when the former MVP will return. A day after the blockbuster trade between the Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns, that speculation has been amplified.

Now, as Phoenix faces the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, everyone is wondering when Durant will make his debut with the Suns.

Unfortunately for Suns fans, Durant's recovery timeline provided by the Nets before the trade deadline seems to be accurate. From the sound of things, not only will Durant be out for Friday's showdown with the Indiana Pacers, he also seems poised to sit out through the All-Star break.

Earlier this week, Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn said there is still no timeline for the former MVP's return, although he seems to be progressing in the right direction.

With the trade completed, Durant will now focus on returning to the floor and helping Phoenix make a Western Conference playoff push.

As we look ahead towards the remainder of the season, let's take a look at how the Suns stack up in a competitive Western Conference.

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Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns' place in a stacked Western Conference

This season has been an underwhelming one in Phoenix as the Suns endured a 5-17 slump. This season has been more defined by off-court struggles than their play on the court.

For a team that was in the NBA Finals in 2021 and had the league's best record (64-18) last season, this season has marked a significant downturn.

Between injuries to Devin Booker, Chris Paul and several key reserves along with the disconnect with big man Deandre Ayton, the Suns (30-27) have struggled.

Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams

Plus, they played without one of their most valuable assets, Jae Crowder. The veteran forward, who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, did not play a game for Phoenix this season while sitting out requesting a trade.

With the trade deadline behind them, and Devin Booker, one of the NBA's best scorers, back as of Tuesday, the Suns are looking ahead. They won nine of 11 games before losing Thursday to the Atlanta Hawks with Booker not playing.

While their struggles throughout the first half of the season won't magically disappear, Phoenix, which is sixth in the West, could be poised for a big rebound. First, they've already gotten Booker back after he played just four minutes in a 25-game stretch. Plus, Kevin Durant will start playing soon. So, the Suns' future is looking bright.

Whether they can mesh the new pieces and cement themselves as true contenders to make the NBA Finals, only time will tell.

With all eyes on Phoenix, Durant's on-court arrival in a few weeks is sure to be one of the most talked about stories in the NBA.