“I know, know KD, you know what I’m saying?” Paul said. “We done talked for years, worked out, all this stuff. It’s wild. Everything happens for a reason. KD is like family. So now, to get an opportunity to play alongside him in this capacity, I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity.”

There’s more from Phoenix:

  • Appearing on a podcast with Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports, Jock Landale said the addition of Durant has invigorated the entire team.“Guys are running around like ‘Man, I’m playing with Kevin Durant now! I gotta step this thing up!'” Landale said. “So everything’s gone up a level, and that’s what needed to happen for us to win this thing this year.”
  • Terrence Ross had his first practice with the Suns today after agreeing to a buyout with Orlando, Bourguet tweets. Ross confirmed reports that he was convinced to come to Phoenix after initially leaning toward Dallas. “At the last second, really, I was just talking a lot to (president of basketball operations) James (Jones) and talking to (head coach) Monty (Williams) and just kinda understanding what my role would be, and I just felt like this was a better fit,” Ross said. The veteran swingman signed a minimum-salary contract with Phoenix.
  • Cameron Payne, who has been sidelined since January 4 with a foot injury, is hoping to return on February 24, the Suns’ first game after the All-Star break, Bourguet adds (via Twitter).
  • Former Suns owner Robert Sarver will give $20K bonuses to many team employees and plans to make a $5MM donation to the team’s charity, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN.