Durant has sprained ankle, will be re-evaluated in three weeks

Suns fans can exhale — Phoenix likely will have Kevin Durant back in time for the playoffs.

However, he is going to be out for at least the next three weeks, the Suns announced.

INJURY UPDATE: Further evaluation has confirmed that Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant has sustained a left ankle sprain. He will be re-evaluated in three weeks.

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 10, 2023

Reports from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (likely obtained from Durant’s camp) said he likely would return in three weeks (or less). Three weeks from Thursday would have Durant re-evaluated on March 30 — 10 days before the final day of the NBA regular season.

Durant was set to make his home debut with the Suns on Wednesday when he slipped during warmups and rolled his ankle. Durant ended up missing the game.

Here’s video of Kevin Durant slipping on the floor pregame.

He stayed down for a few seconds but then got up and finished his on-court work. pic.twitter.com/DwTrNc6LIr

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) March 9, 2023

Durant has averaged 26.7 points and 7.3 assists a game with an incredible 80.8 true shooting percentage since joining the Suns. Phoenix is 3-0 since he entered the lineup. The Suns currently sit as the No. 4 seed in the West (hosting a first-round playoff matchup) and have a three-game cushion over the No. 5 seed with 16 games to play.

Durant missed 20 games earlier this season — including the first six games after he was traded to Phoenix — due to a knee injury he suffered while still with the Nets.

“I could barely run… I didn’t get hit. So, it’s kind of weird for me. I really don’t know what it is.”

What Luka Dončić said about his sore left thigh that made him leave Wednesday night’s Mavericks loss in