The Phoenix Suns made headlines with their acquisition of Royce O’Neale, marking the second time he and Kevin Durant have been teammates after their stint together on the Brooklyn Nets during the 2022-23 season. 

Durant expressed his excitement about reuniting with O’Neale, praising his versatility, work ethic, and love for the game. Durant believes Suns fans will appreciate O’Neale’s hard-nosed style of play and commitment to his teammates.

“(O’Neale is) a position-less basketball player that’s gonna help us out and fit in, so I’m excited about him,” Durant told reporters during his postgame press conference, per PHNX Suns’ Gerald Bourguet’s X account. “I love being around Royce and can’t wait to keep building with him as a person first and then as a teammate.”

O’Neale, in his first meeting with reporters since the trade, revealed that Durant had predicted their reunion as teammates. O’Neale expressed his happiness about playing alongside Durant once again and looks forward to contributing to the Suns’ success.

With the Suns, O’Neale is expected to provide valuable shooting and defensive versatility, complementing stars like Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker. Playing alongside such talented teammates could potentially improve O’Neale’s shooting efficiency. Despite his relatively modest statistics this season, O’Neale’s career three-point shooting percentage suggests he can be a reliable floor spacer for the Suns.

Additionally, Grayson Allen, who also played with O’Neale during their time with the Utah Jazz, expressed excitement about reuniting with him in Phoenix. Allen praised O’Neale’s skills as a shooter and defender, highlighting his ability to guard multiple positions effectively.

While O’Neale has only played a short time with Durant and Allen in the past, their prior experience together could facilitate a smoother integration into the Suns’ lineup. As the team heads towards the playoffs, O’Neale’s familiarity with some of his teammates could prove beneficial in establishing chemistry and cohesion on the court.

Despite the limited time O’Neale will spend with Durant and Allen this season, the Suns are optimistic about his potential impact and contributions to their championship aspirations.