Although the Phoenix Suns are in the hunt for a play-in spot, this season has been one to forget. A team with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal should register more than the 35 wins they have.
However, there have been a multitude of issues this season. For starters, the Suns benched Beal at the beginning of the New Year. The organization thought that it would give them a spark.
While it did provide more energy, it was short-lived. Furthermore, a $50 million player coming off the bench didn’t sit right with many. To combine that with the fact that he hasn’t come off the bench since his sophomore season, it was shocking.
Much of it came as a way to get Jimmy Butler. Despite that, though, Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract. No matter how hard the organization tried to push him out, he didn’t budge.
Moving onto Durant, the team flopped with their superstar as well. Although he is the team’s leading scorer, they found a way to irritate him.
During the trade deadline, the Suns initially were going to trade Durant. Once he got wind of it, he refused to be traded there, or anywhere. Since then, the relationship is strained, and it’s looking like a potential exit for the future Hall of Famer.
Lastly, Booker has been the main consistent piece. While his production has dipped, he’s shown flashes. For instance, Booker exploded for 47 points against the Utah Jazz earlier in the season. That game was without Beal or Durant.
Still, the team is searching for a way into the play-in spot. As a result of the close race, let’s take a look at some dream scenarios and nightmare matchups for the Suns.
Dream scenario: Suns sneak into the play-in and secure the No. 8 seed
As of writing this, the Sacramento Kings currently have the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. They would automatically get in.
One of the main advantages the Suns had was beating the Dallas Mavericks in early March. That victory gave them the season series win in favor of Phoenix.
If both teams finished with the same record, they would be boosted in the standings over Dallas. Since the latter brought Anthony Davis back from injury, they have stockpiled wins. It has made the Suns’ path difficult.
Regardless of that, though, there is still a chance for them to make the play-in. Even if the Suns win out, they’ll need some help from the Kings to take over that tenth spot.
If they do, they could face the Mavericks once again. The Suns have appeared to have their number this season. With Beal set to return from injury, the Big 3 could be in full force at the right time.
Following that play-in game, though, they might have to take on another team. Either the Los Angeles Clippers or the Minnesota Timberwolves would be next up.
The latter of which has had Phoenix’s number since the 2024 playoffs. So far this season, that hasn’t changed. The Timberwolves have won every game against the Suns this season.
Somehow, if they squeak past Minnesota, they’ll be facing off against the Oklahoma City Thunder. As one of the league’s most complete teams, it could be a quick exit for the Suns.
Still, the Big 3 have proven they can flip the switch in the playoffs. At the very least, they can make things interesting. It might not help the Suns bring back Durant, but it can give hope to the fanbase after a tumultuous season.
Nightmare scenario: Suns are eliminated from play-in contention
The absolute worst-case scenario for the Suns would be to miss the play-in altogether. If that were the case, this could be the biggest flop of a team the NBA has ever seen.
Even though the Suns’ first-round exit in the 2024 playoffs was embarrassing, this could reach a new level. At least Frank Vogel led the Suns to 49 wins.
Now, they might not even eclipse 41, or even get to 40. With head coach Mike Budenholzer, he was supposed to transform the team and unlock a new dimension for the team.
However, subsequent benchings and not playing key rotational pieces like Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro have been a major pitfall for the Suns.
Even the Big 3 understand how much of an impact those players have made, specifically on the defensive end.
Finally, the team has no draft assets to fall back on. They traded all of those away when acquiring Durant and Beal. Although reaching for the stars is one thing, squandering draft capital and young players is another.
The Big 3 alone make up roughly $150 of the team’s $214 million payroll. The top-heavy approach didn’t work, and missing out on the play-in would be the nail in the coffin.
After the season, it’s hard to see what the Suns might do. There might be an overhaul in the front office, on the roster itself, or both.
Either way, the level of mediocrity cannot continue if the team wants to be viewed as respectable and legitimate across the league.
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