The Phoenix Suns’ commerce for Kevin Durant appears to be like like a bust proper now. There’s no different takeaway after the Suns had been eradicated from the 2023 NBA Playoffs within the second spherical by shedding to the Denver Nuggets in six video games. Phoenix went out unhappy, falling 125-100 in Recreation 6 in what was a rout from the opening tip. The Suns began Jock Landale, Cam Payne, and Landry Shamet in a do-or-die playoff sport, so the end result shouldn’t be too shocking.
The Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, 4 unprotected first-round picks, and a 2028 choose swap to Brooklyn for Durant on the commerce deadline. Durant will flip 35 years previous within the offseason. Chris Paul turned 38 years previous through the collection in opposition to the Nuggets, and missed the final 4 video games of the collection with a groin pressure. The Suns are dealing with enormous strain to show this right into a championship crew instantly. The roster wants loads of upgrades, and the crew doesn’t have any draft picks to commerce to get them.
There are not any simple solutions for tips on how to save the Suns this summer season, however within the aftermath of a disappointing playoff exit, there are a couple of large image pivots they need to take into accout.
The Suns want their KCP commerce and Bruce Brown signing
The NBA by no means received to see how good the Nuggets had been earlier than this season as a result of Jamal Murray missed the final two playoff runs whereas he recovered from a torn ACL. However even with their second finest participant set to return forward of this season, Denver nonetheless made some daring strikes to improve the roster. The primary was to commerce long-time position gamers Will Barton and Monte Morris to Washington for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The following was signing guard Bruce Brown away from the Nets on a two-year, $13 million deal.
Including KCP and Brown gave the Nuggets two extra robust perimeter defenders who might add worth on offense as ground spacers and cutters. Phoenix wants gamers with comparable talent units round Durant and Devin Booker.
The Suns ended the playoffs with a 118.3 defensive ranking that will have ranked No. 28 within the league through the common season. The offense scored at close to top-five effectivity within the playoffs regardless of solely trying 25.8 threes per sport, dead-last by a large margin of any playoff crew.
That is simpler mentioned than executed, in fact. Free brokers like Yuta Watanabe and Georges Niang might present the taking pictures, however not the protection. Dillon Brooks might present the protection, however not the taking pictures. Both means, the Suns clearly have to improve the position gamers round their famous person pairing after they simply witnessed Denver basically ignore everybody else on the ground not named Durant and Booker.
It’s time to commerce Chris Paul
The Suns missed the playoffs for 10 straight seasons earlier than they acquired Chris Paul in a commerce with the Thunder. Since then, Phoenix went to the NBA Finals, and made two second spherical appearances. It gained’t be a simple choice to commerce Paul, nevertheless it appears like the best choice to assist the crew reload round Durant and Booker. Paul simply can’t be counted on to complete a playoff run at this level in his profession — his damage on this postseason isn’t an outlier, it’s a pattern.
Paul has two years and $60.8 million left on his contract, however subsequent season is simply partially assured at $15.8 million, and the next season is totally unguaranteed. His large wage quantity would give Phoenix a means of matching contracts to amass a number of gamers, and the crew on the opposite finish might simply reduce him after subsequent 12 months to open up cap area.
Does any crew need 38-year-old Chris Paul? There isn’t an apparent suitor for CP3 for the time being, however the flexibility his contract presents may very well be interesting to a crew in the appropriate bundle.
Kevin Durant must regain high kind
This one is straightforward. The Suns didn’t get the perfect model of Kevin Durant within the playoffs this 12 months, not even shut. Listed here are Durant’s closing numbers for the collection in opposition to Denver: 29.5 factors, 9.7 rebounds, and 5 assists per sport on 45.4 p.c taking pictures from the sector and 22.2 p.c taking pictures from three-point vary. The per-game numbers had been nice, however the effectivity wasn’t.
Durant appeared like the perfect participant on the planet two years in the past within the playoffs in opposition to the Bucks. Since then, he’s been slowed down considerably in playoff exits in opposition to the Celtics (who swept his Nets in 2022) and now the Nuggets.
A shift in Durant’s shot profile is perhaps the best change. Durant took 68 p.c of his pictures from mid-range through the playoffs, based on Cleansing the Glass. Durant made a formidable 47 p.c of these mid-range makes an attempt, however the Suns want him to take extra threes, extra rim makes an attempt, and extra free throws to actually maximize his scoring punch.
On the season, between stops in Brooklyn and Phoenix, Durant averaged 4.9 three-point makes an attempt per sport, whereas hitting 40.4 p.c of these pictures. He took 4.6 threes per sport within the playoffs. Durant might legitimately stand to double his three-point makes an attempt. Durant ranked No. 86 in three-point makes an attempt per sport this season. 4 gamers took double-figure makes an attempt per sport. Sure, KD is a superb mid-range shooter, however he’s additionally top-of-the-line three-point shooters in league historical past. He must shoot extra threes.
The Suns have to get quicker
Phoenix ranked lifeless final in quick break factors through the common season, scoring solely 10.5 per sport. The Suns had been way more potent scoring in transition through the playoffs, and sometimes occasions Phoenix checked out its finest once they had been operating.
Sure, it’s exhausting to run with a 38-year-old level guard. Phoenix clearly must get some extra zip in its offense whether or not CP3 is on the crew or not subsequent 12 months.
It’s simple to determine the Suns’ issues. It’s tougher to seek out the options
The Suns had been at all times in championship-or-bust mode after buying and selling Bridges and so many draft picks for Durant. The strain is admittedly going to be on this offseason. The Durant-Booker duo is great, however Phoenix must reload the roster round them.
There can be simple traps to fall into. You’ll be able to wager a rumored Deandre Ayton for Kyrie Irving deal can be talked about this summer season. How a lot would that truly assist Phoenix? Transferring Ayton ought to actually be on the desk for Phoenix after a disappointing offensive collection, however his protection in opposition to Nikola Jokic was promising for a lot of the collection. Irving would in fact come along with his personal pitfalls.
Ought to Phoenix hearth Monty Williams? There’s a case to be made {that a} totally different coach might get a greater model of Ayton to return alive — the coach and middle have had an icy relationship courting again to final season — however Durant and Booker seem to love Williams, and there’s actually no assure they may discover a higher coach in the event that they hearth him.
I used to be a proponent of the Suns buying and selling for Durant within the offseason. I nonetheless preferred the transfer once they did it on the deadline. Nicely, there’s a motive I’m making blogger cash and never NBA GM cash, as a result of proper now it feels just like the KD deal might go down as a catastrophe for Phoenix. It’s on Phoenix’s new possession (which pushed exhausting for the deal to undergo) and entrance workplace to determine a option to salvage it.
Touchdown stars is the exhausting a part of NBA crew constructing, and the Suns emptied all the pieces they need to get one in Durant. On this period of the NBA, although, it certain appears like depth is nearly as vital as the first choices. Phoenix had means, means too many holes in its eight-man rotation that it couldn’t fill in-season after the KD commerce. They higher do it offseason, or their title window might shut faster than anybody thought doable.
