BY T.A. June 20, 2023
The most exciting present for Phoenix Suns on Father’s Day will be the blockbuster trade of 3 time all star Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns. The Phoenix Suns are a legit Super Team and also a legit title contender with this recent trade, but as we all witnessed being a super team may not translate to winning a Championship ring. The best of this scenario is the Brooklyn Nets of 2021. The Brooklyn Nets were literally one of the best super teams ever assembled in the history of the NBA but they failed to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy. This may not be the same, but the similarities between the 2021 Brooklyn Nets and the current Phoenix Suns team cannot be overlooked. From Hindsight, if the Suns can make some particular changes to their roster, they will be a much better fit.
THE PHOENIX SUNS HAVE MUCH MORE TO PROVE TO THE LEAGUE.
It’s surprising that Bradley Beal has never even made it to a Conference final with over a decade in the NBA. The best playoff run we have witnessed from the Ex Washington Wizard player was brought to a halt by the Boston Celtics in the 2016/2017 playoffs. For the 3 time ALL-STAR, this challenge is far from being an incredible Stat padder that will place him among the Hall of Famers that have traveled the League.
Devin Booker is the player with the most to prove to the league. Before Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Ayton and Bradley Beal, there was Devin Booker in Phoenix and so far winning a championship for the 26-year-old small forward has been nothing but a near success syndrome. Booker has had one of the most humiliating exits from the playoffs over the last three years. First it was with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, next it was with Luka humiliating him in 2022, and finally The Joker (Nikola Jokić) making a joke of the Suns in 2023. It’s obvious that Devin Booker needs a ring by all means to secure his position as one of the greats in NBA history.
Kevin Durant at this point has nothing to prove to the NBA. Even Kevin’s haters know that Kevin at even this stage of his career is one of the top 15 players to ever play the game (arguably 10 for some fans). Super team or not, all Kevin Durant needs to prove is that he can win a championship, not in a Golden State jersey.
WHAT WILL THE SUNS DO WITH DE ANDRE AYTON?
At this point, with Ayton’s most recent lackluster playoff performance, trading Ayton out of the Suns is almost inevitable. Apart from hoping to see the 24-year-old Bahamian Suns player develop his game, Ayton is one player that keeps on answering the question of depth with Suns. Monty Williams played Booker and Durant an average of 45 minutes each game during the playoffs. The success of a team cannot rest on just 3 players for the entirety of 48 minutes. Phoenix will really need depth to survive in the playoffs, and trading Ayton is the best option for the Suns to achieve that goal at the moment. Also, we keep forgetting that Cam Payne really deserves ideal minutes. Cam Payne was literally the best Suns player in game 6 against the Nuggets.
DOES FRANK VOGEL FIT?
“If the pieces are in place, you can take the league by storm” said the New Phoenix Suns Coach in his first press conference with the Suns. The Phoenix Suns had just two solid pieces until Sunday, and Vogel is really the man that will be able to utilize them. A major problem with the Suns during the playoffs was poor defense. The Suns couldn’t just stop the Nuggets from scoring at one point, and this is one area where Vogel is literally a legend. An obviously better coach when compared to Steve Nash (The Brooklyn Nets 2021 coach) there are questions when it comes to Vogel’s offensive expertise. Vogel has never ranked top ten offensively with any team since 2012, hopefully, Phoenix may create a whole new spark with the veteran coach.
The rest of the offseason still has a lot to unfold when it comes to The Suns. However, at this point the question of them being solid contenders is not unanimous among many NBA critics.
