Grayson Allen doth protest too much: Suns locker room 'wasn't toxic at all'

The Phoenix Suns are in a hole — 26-25, with a negative point differential on the season, one of the worst defenses in the league and an offensive efficiency that ranks well outside the top 10. It's not surprising that they looked at a variety of moves at the NBA Trade Deadline, including trading for Jimmy Butler and moving Kevin Durant. But it's a little surprising that all they managed was dumping Jusuf Nurkic on the Hornets for Cody Martin (a wing), Vasilije Micic (a guard) and paying a 2026 first-round pick to do it.

Reportedly, the barriers to a bigger deal were that Durant didn't want to return to Golden State, that no one wanted Bradley Beal and he was willing to use his no-trade clause to keep himself out of any deal anyway.

So Durant was shopped and at least willing to entertain a trade, just not to the Warriors. Beal was shopped but used his leverage to make sure he couldn't be dealt. It's not surprising then that ESPN's Ramona Shelburne characterized the Suns locker room as "toxic" at the deadline.

Grayson Allen wants you to know the Suns locker room 'wasn't toxic at all'

Last night, after a win over the Jazz, Grayson Allen made sure to say that the vibes, although not immaculate weren't toxic either.

Mike Budenholzer backed up Allen, saying, "Making it through a season and all the things that come with that, are never easy. It's not like this has been a perfect or easy ride. But I think the guys' commitment to each other and willingness to learn and grow is good."

It's a lot easier to say this once the deadline has passed, no one has been traded and you're looking back on a 12-point win. But it's worth noting that they needed overtime to beat the Jazz, one of the worst teams in the Western Conference, at home. And that Beal didn't play, one of 14 games he's already missed this season. And that their big-man rotation is no Mason Plumlee, Nick Richards and Bol Bol. And that they've played opponents essentially even — a total of plus-4 in 418 minutes — with Beal, Durant and Booker on the floor together.

They have an uphill battle ahead of them just to make the playoffs and whether or not their locker room is toxic is kind of beside the point. They're not a very good basketball team and it's not clear how they're going to become one.