What do the Phoenix Suns do?

[bkkrh]

It feels like every 2 days there is a thread about a different Western Conference team about this topic. There will be no different answer.

Outside Utah, Portland and San Antonio the expectation for every team was to make the Playoffs/Play-In. The Spurs are doing better than expected until now, the Pelicans way worse. The Kings are 12th, but still only 2 wins behind the 6th seed. The Mavs and Grizzlies look atm like clear Playoff teams, but that's because they are 9-1 in their last 10 games.

Phoenix was 9-2 at the start of the season and there were talks about Durant being a legit MVP candidate and Phoenix being a favorite for the title. Not so long ago the Warriors were 10-2 and the Lakers 10-4 and there were talks about the Warriors being a contender again and Reddick being a Coach Of The Year candidate.

It will most likely be like this all season in the West, Memphis went from 2-3 to 7-4 to 8-7 to now 17-8.

So what that basically means is everything is possible in the West, as it is in most of the seasons. So you either pick between rebuilding to become one of those teams, or to be one of those teams and hope that you have a great season and good luck with player injuries. If not, you try again next season.

[dhsilv2]

When you bring in the NBA's official tank commander...you tank, right?

[SkyBill40]

The second apron and asinine decision making from a brash, eager, yet neophyte owner of an NBA team has mired us in what will likely be a decade long nadir that will only be resolved by a retirement or an impossible trade. Even still, neither will get us out close enough to see daylight once again. They'd be nothing but sunbeams on a still dark horizon.

[wco81]

KD's not that valuable if winning a title is what the end goal is. He's too old and unreliable health wise.

Not only that, within the past 5 seasons, he's been swept twice in the first round, including this past April.

He looks unstoppable in the regular season but the Celtics and the Wolves basically shut him down.

Can he regain that form in his first season with the Nets when he almost beat the Bucks or his two playoff runs with the Warriors?

Not impossible but with each passing season, that seems more and more unlikely.

Beal has a bad contract and Booker already showed that as a #1, he hit his ceiling for carry a team through the playoffs after the Mavs thumped the Suns in game 7 the year after the Suns went to the Finals.

Would be a bad idea to give the suns multiple FRPs for him.

[Exp0sed]

There really isn't much they can do. Their only trade assets are Booker and KD. They probably just continue to ride it out and hope KD is healthy when he needs to be. Unless they're going to trade KD to Houston and regain control of their draft, they don't have a lot of options and they're basically stuck with the worst contract in the NBA in Beal.

that's what Jamal Murray is gonna be making from here on out:

2024/25 $36,016,200
2025/26 $50,422,680
2026/27 $54,456,494
2027/28 $58,490,308
2028/29 $62,524,122




Beal maxes on the final 2026/2027 season at 57m per, so it'll expire two years sooner, hard choice haha.

[Papi_swav]

They pretty much screwed themselves taking on Beal so they have no choice but to ride it out for now. They just better hope KD can get thru the season healthy because he's been injured twice already.

[Bornstellar]

There really isn't much they can do. Their only trade assets are Booker and KD. They probably just continue to ride it out and hope KD is healthy when he needs to be. Unless they're going to trade KD to Houston and regain control of their draft, they don't have a lot of options and they're basically stuck with the worst contract in the NBA in Beal.

that's what Jamal Murray is gonna be making from here on out:

2024/25 $36,016,200
2025/26 $50,422,680
2026/27 $54,456,494
2027/28 $58,490,308
2028/29 $62,524,122




Beal maxes on the final 2026/2027 season at 57m per, so it'll expire two years sooner, hard choice haha.

Forgot he just re-signed. Yeah that contract is pretty brutal

[lilfishi22]

Lay in the bed we made

[doogie_hauser]

Trade Booker to Houston fof Jabari Smith, another young player and several future first round picks The Rockets have and prepare for life post KD.

[ghillphx]

OP, this isn't rocket science. [ANY TEAM] without their [BEST PLAYER] is not a good team. Find me an exception.

[Shaka_Zulu]

Kevin Durant for Julius Randle

[baldur]

I bet them on winning the Pacific division. hopefully, they win it and then I won't care what they do. I am afraid of clippers only and durant's health.

[mademan]

OP, this isn't rocket science. [ANY TEAM] without their [BEST PLAYER] is not a good team. Find me an exception.

Few good teams without their best player are absolute azz tho. They dont have to be great, but theyre losing to other teams missing their best players too (Pelicans,Magic)

You want an exception? Magic have been really good without Paolo. Mavs hummed along without Luka. Clippers have been solid without Kawhi. No excuse to bottom out without KD, especially when you have a star on your team beside him

[PhilBlackson]

I'm not sure what or if the Rockets are still interested in trading for KD but I'd do that asap....the Suns aren't doing anything other than being a "tough out" even when Durant is back, they don't have the defence to compete with the best in the league and age is sure to continue to slow down KD and Beal.