The highly anticipated trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal struggled to mesh and were eliminated in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs by Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Durant and Booker are returning with fresh momentum after winning gold with Team USA.
Beal, who only played 53 games last year, averaged 18.2 points per game, his lowest since his 2015-16 season at age 22. If he can stay healthy and spend more time on the court with Durant and Booker, it should offer a significant boost.
General manager James Jones also secured sharpshooter Grayson Allen with a new long-term contract and made a shrewd under-the-radar acquisition by signing point guard Tyus Jones. The Suns missed having a true floor general last season, relying too heavily on Booker and Beal for that role.
Jones dismissed Frank Vogel and brought in Mike Budenholzer, widely regarded as one of the NBA’s top offensive strategists and a championship-winning coach from his time with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.
Earlier this offseason, the Houston Rockets made headlines by acquiring several future draft picks from the Phoenix Suns. This sparked rumors and speculation that the Rockets might pursue one of Phoenix’s superstars in the future. Local insiders have dismissed such rumors for now, and nothing has materialized yet.
Hollinger wrote, “The Suns, despite their own underrated moves this summer, are heading toward potential trouble. Owning their draft picks from the late decade is advantageous for Houston.”
He continued, “As the Suns’ aging roster and lack of draft picks weigh them down, the Rockets could be in a position to capitalize.
