Jock Landale was asleep when the Suns traded for superstar forward Kevin Durant. Just like most of us.
Landale told ESPN's Kane Pitman in a 20-minute interview days ago the team was in a hotel prior to its game against the Atlanta Hawks in the middle of the night when Durant’s trade was announced. Landale heard a yell in the hallway around 11:30 p.m. MT but decided to sleep through it.
He woke up in the morning and saw the team huddling around forwards Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, who were traded for Durant to the Brooklyn Nets.
“ I came to find out that the whole team minus me and one other had huddled up outside my room (overnight) and reflected on the time together the past couple of years,” Landale said.
“They were out there for like two hours and I had no clue at all, I was completely knocked out. Mikal and Cam were two of my best mates on the team so I'm a little bit bummed I didn't get to experience that with my teammates at the hotel, but I had no idea until the next day.”
Landale spoke about the Suns’ trade for Kevin Durant, earning guaranteed money in his contract this season and Phoenix’s championship window with Durant in the interview.
On Durant's addition, Landale said: “Within the squad, there’s a level of excitement and there was a level of calmness almost of just like, everyone being so confident and calm. Like, ‘This is our real chance. We got Kevin Durant.’
Landale has also been competing with Suns center Bismack Biyombo for minutes this season, a battle he said has not affected his level of support with the team.
“I made a point of not letting it affect my level of support for him and the boys, and just got on with the job,” Landale said. “I think that that’s really where winning a championship ties in is a winning formula for your headspace. You understand sometimes it’s bigger than yourself.”
Landale also spoke about his relationship with Suns starting point guard Chris Paul, who is one of the greatest point guards of all time.
“CP has been a pleasure to work alongside with, again, just like all these other boys,” Landale said. “But again, he just has an understanding of the game and having been through it and seeing all sorts of coverages.
“You can't really trick him with too much, and I think that that makes it pretty handy as a big man to kind of get alongside with.”
Landale and the Suns open their playoff run Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. Phoenix has the third-best odds to win the NBA championship, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
“I think we’re going to have a real battle on our hands from Day 1 of the playoffs,” Landale said. “And for us, we're fine with that. I think those kind of early battles will probably harden us for those lighter ones, and we need that a little bit given that we’re behind the eight-ball in having all of our team and all of our squad in play.”