The Phoenix Suns were thought to be in one of the finest situations of any NBA team not too long ago. Phoenix proved they possessed a core group of dependable stars and role players who could win in the Western Conference after reaching the 2021 Finals.
These players also performed well in a postseason setting. Even after their humiliating defeat in the conference semifinals of 2022, they were incredibly well-positioned for the future.
However, all was altered when management chose to trade for Kevin Durant at the 2023 trade deadline, taking a significant risk. Theoretically, that was a really wise decision. Bring in a high-caliber player who will enable you to expeditiously navigate the route to victory. However, in the big picture, that action has simply made things more complicated.
Acquiring KD also contributed to the Suns’ next grave error. After losing a number of their versatile role players, like Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, Phoenix decided to add a third star, Bradley Beal, to play alongside Durant and Devin Booker.
Naturally, this would have been a fantastic addition based only on moniker, similar to the KD deal. However, the intangibles associated with Beal were something the Suns overlooked. Rather, they gave themselves over to an aged and defective star, and now they will have to live with the fallout for some time to come.
Beal’s worth just keeps declining.
Following Beal’s signing, many in the NBA mediasphere speculated whether they would be a lock to enter the Finals in 2024 as one of the best scorers in the league. After all, they possessed a big three, which was how a lot of teams in the previous ten years had won titles.
The distinction, however, was that Phoenix’s three stars never really fit well together. It was almost as if the Suns had three players on the court at all times, even if they had all been healthy the whole season.
Rather, Beal’s first season with the team was marred by a number of ailments, and it’s clear his body is not as resilient as it once was. Beal’s deal is a another, and possibly more serious, concern.
He has two more seasons left on his contract, and throughout those seasons, he will be owed more than $103 million. That is an extremely heavy financial load for a team that already has two other max players on staff.
The unfortunate thing about this whole situation is that Phoenix boldly and firmly made an investment on Beal last summer. The senior executives and decision-makers in this organization should currently be closely scrutinized for their basketball understanding.
For Suns fans, their willingness to make what has turned out to be a very bad judgment should be a big worry moving ahead.
