In the aftermath of another failed campaign, Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia has vowed to make some major changes in pursuit of a championship. Unfortunately for Ishbia, however, the Suns may have no choice but to keep their “big three” and run it back for another year with the same troubled roster.
“Unless the Nuggets come calling for Kevin Durant, I’m not seeing exactly where the Kevin Durant landing spot is gonna be at this point, and Bradley Beal and his wife really like living in Phoenix, so I don’t think that’s changing,” said Sam Amick on the Ringer NBA Show.
The Suns gave up everything to build a team around Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, but it’s been a disaster since bringing them together. Besides constant health struggles and chemistry issues, the trio has just been a bad fit on the court, and Phoenix has struggled to stay afloat.
In the 2024-25 season, the Suns couldn’t even make the play-in after finishing 11th in the West at 36-46. The disaster cost head coach Mike Budenholzer his job, and if it were up to the Suns, they’d also part ways with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
With averages of 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game this season, Durant was putting up solid numbers, but his inability to close was a major problem that may have cost his team wins. As a last act of desperation, the Suns could have traded Durant to build up the supporting cast, but his value is declining right now as he approaches his 37th birthday.
The truth is, not many teams are on the market for Kevin, and those that are interested (like the Houston Rockets) may not be willing to meet Phoenix’s asking price. The only selling point to Durant’s contract is that he’s only got one year left at $54.7 million for the 2025-26 campaign.
The situation with Bradley Beal is even more punishing. The veteran guard has barely played since his arrival, and his performance has been subpar, with averages of 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on 49.7% shooting. His contract is a massive burden for the Suns at $110 million over the next two years.
To make matters even worse, Beal is currently on a no-trade clause that prevents the Suns from trading him without his approval. As bad as the situation in Phoenix is, Beal has already stated that he’s not looking to move, and Amick’s report confirms that he and his wife are happy with their living situation.
What this means is that the Suns have no easy escape from their roster situation. With their stars locked in place, it doesn’t leave much flexibility to fill out the rest of the roster, and it’s the reason why Phoenix has been so top-heavy with talent since adding Kevin Durant.
There’s no doubt the Suns will work overtime this summer to build a proper team for Devin Booker, but with most of their cap already dried up, it limits what they can do in free agency and the trade market. At this point, the only road to improvement for Phoenix is from within.
