Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns: A Season of Highs, Lows, and Uncertainty
Kevin Durant found himself surveying the scene at PHX Arena during a home game against the LA Clippers on March 4. The atmosphere was tense, with the Phoenix Suns trailing by 19 points entering the fourth quarter after conceding 41 points in the second quarter. The Suns, who had lost 11 of their previous 14 games, were struggling to find their footing in a season marred by disappointment, drama, and dysfunction.
Despite having the highest payroll in NBA history, the Suns were fighting just to qualify for the play-in tournament. Durant’s sideline clash with coach Mike Budenholzer over offensive strategy was downplayed by Durant as a sign of their commitment to improving, but it was seen by many as evidence of a team in disarray.
However, the fourth quarter of that game offered a glimmer of hope. Durant led a scoring surge that cut the deficit to 10 points, energizing the crowd and ultimately sealing a comeback victory. This win over the Clippers was seen by some as a potential turning point for the Suns’ season.
Owner Mat Ishbia, a brash billionaire, expressed optimism about the comeback, telling ESPN, “I like that analogy. I’m going to use that with Coach when I talk to him.” Yet, the Suns have lost three of the four games since that victory.
Ishbia pondered the reasons behind the Suns’ struggles, saying, “I don’t have the answer. If I had the answer, I’d fix it right now. I still believe in our team. I still believe in Coach Budenholzer. I believe in the guys we have. And at the same time, at the end of the season, if we don’t get to where we expect to get to, I’ll have enough data and evidence that it didn’t work or it did work. And then we’ll make decisions based on that.”
Since taking over the franchise 25 months ago, Ishbia has been instrumental in the Suns’ aggressive and expensive roster overhaul. This began with the blockbuster trade for Durant, followed by acquiring Bradley Beal from Washington in June 2023. The Suns assembled the priciest star trio in the NBA, with homegrown star Devin Booker, Durant, and Beal all on maximum contracts. However, they failed to secure a single playoff win last season, being swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.
Coach Frank Vogel was dismissed after his first season, following the firing of Monty Williams. Injuries to the stars were a reasonable excuse for last season’s failures, but the Suns have been relatively healthy this season. The addition of point guard Tyus Jones was meant to address roster flaws, yet the Suns have regressed, sitting six games below .500 and in 11th place in the West standings with 16 games remaining.
February was particularly challenging, with the Suns going 3-10 as Beal and Durant were involved in trade discussions. Budenholzer has reportedly had friction with multiple players, including Booker.
Ishbia acknowledged the disappointment, stating, “It’s been a really disappointing year. Very disappointed. There’s not a person in the organization that doesn’t feel that way. We had high expectations. We felt really good about where going into the season and we’ve not met any of those expectations. We’ve been well below what we all expected, and it’s not anything close.”
Despite the struggles, Ishbia remains hopeful for a postseason bid, saying, “If we get in the playoffs, I don’t think that we’re an easy out for anybody.” If the Suns fail to make the playoffs, the front office will explore various personnel scenarios, potentially pivoting around Booker. The futures of Beal and Durant in Phoenix are uncertain, with trade discussions involving them before the deadline.
- Booker is untouchable in trade talks, with Ishbia stating, “Never happen. It’s silly. So here’s what I’ll tell you: I have Devin Booker in the prime. In order to win an NBA championship, you got to have a superstar. You got to have a great player.”
- Booker is committed to Phoenix, saying, “I take pride in the community in Phoenix, the people that have supported me since I was 18 when things were ugly. And the people that are with us, we just fell short of accomplishing what we want. So I want to do it, and I want to do it here.”
Ishbia is determined to pursue championship ambitions, even if it requires remodeling the roster around Booker. He dismisses the idea of a patient rebuilding process, saying, “It’s surprising to me that other people, other fans, they actually like the rebuild process. Like, ‘Oh, let’s rebuild it.’ Are you crazy?! You think I’m going to go for seven years and try to get there? You enjoy the 2030 draft picks that we have holding? I want to try to see the game today. I want us to win today, and we’re going to try.”
Durant was caught off guard by trade talks, including a proposed deal with the Golden State Warriors that fell through. The Suns also discussed potential trades with the Timberwolves, Miami Heat, and Rockets. Durant and his agent, Rich Kleiman, will be consulted on any trade discussions this summer.
Beal, who has a no-trade clause, was demoted to a bench role in January but returned to the starting lineup in February. He admits feeling disrespected at times but remains focused on winning, saying, “I’m human, so I have to really take a step back and just kind of look at the big picture. And my biggest thing is when I came here I want to win. I’ve scored 30 points a game. I’ve been an All-Star. I’ve been All-NBA. I want to win.”
As the Suns approach a potential summer of change, Ishbia remains committed to winning, stating, “Although let’s say this doesn’t work, guess what? Maybe next year we won’t be as good, but we’re going to try again. The next opportunity we have, we’re going to try to win and compete. And it will work. We will win championships here in Phoenix. Might not be this year, but I promise you we are going to do it. And that’s what we’re focused on.”
Originally Written by: Tim MacMahon
