Perhaps the final flashbulb moment of this disappointing Phoenix Suns season will be Kevin Durant lying on the floor, grabbing at his left ankle, in the third quarter of another blowout loss.
The Suns were trailing the Houston Rockets by nearly 40 points when Durant stepped on Jabari Smith Jr.’s foot during a drive. The 36-year-old appeared to roll his left ankle and had to be helped off the floor by his teammates. He was unable to put any weight on his leg.
It’ll go down as Phoenix’s third-straight loss with about two weeks to go in the regular season, but it could effectively mark the end of its season. The Suns are in a fight to make the play-in tournament and are 1 ½ games back of the 10th and final seed in the West.
Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said Durant will not travel with the team during their upcoming three-game trip. This stretch could be devastating. The Suns are 2-11 without him this season.
There’s no question that this has been a disappointing season for the Suns. Injuries have played a role, but the team also lacks depth, chemistry and urgency. Since owner Mat Ishbia took over and invested heavily into a team with the league’s second-largest payroll, the Suns have won just one playoff round. This feels like the end of an expensive experiment.
Maybe it’s ironic that Durant’s final game this season – and as a member of the Suns – could be against the Houston Rockets. There were “brief trade discussions” about Durant between the Suns and Rockets earlier this season, according to The Athletic. The Rockets could check back in this summer.
For as disappointing as this failed period has been, the Suns have the means to pivot quickly
Even at his age, Durant could fetch a decent haul on the trade market. He won’t net what the Suns gave up to get him in 2023 – Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and four unprotected first-round picks – but moving on could help the Suns rebuild their farm system with picks and younger rotation players.
The Rockets linger as an obvious trade partner. They own the rights to Phoenix’s picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029. Many a fake trade has been built on sending a Suns star to Houston to regain control of their draft picks.
That’s one option, but it requires the Rockets to play ball. Does Houston, having just seen the perils of relying on an aging superstar play out in front of them, even want to break up part of a young roster to add Durant? Do the Suns plan to bottom out?
The Rockets make more sense if the Suns were to listen to offers for Devin Booker, but there’s no indication that the 28-year-old will be traded this summer. The Suns, obviously, would prefer to reboot around him.
So which teams do make sense as a Durant destination? Two come to mind right away: The Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves reportedly tried to trade for Durant before the deadline. Anthony Edwards idolizes Durant. Together, they could push the Timberwolves over the top in the West. If the Suns could bring back a pair of high-end rotation players like Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels, they could start to resemble a team with a clearer identity and pecking order.
The Heat were also motivated to acquire Durant before the trade deadline but those talks didn’t get close. After trading Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors, the Heat have several contracts and prospects that could be used to build a deal.
The Suns could ask for Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson and young players like Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic. The Heat could also have up to two firsts in June’s draft that they could trade to help jumpstart Phoenix’s retooling. (If the Suns would prefer more immediate cap relief, they could swap Wiggins out for Terry Rozier, whose deal expires in 2026.)
The Suns are more than $20 million over the second apron. Finding a third team to take on salary and trim payroll will be a top priority.
Other teams linger as darkhorse trade partners.
Do the Grizzlies, who apparently aren’t averse to dramatic decisions, look at Durant as someone who fits the team’s new direction?
Could the Celtics get in on the Durant sweepstakes, particularly if the new owners aren’t psyched about paying Jaylen Brown $60 million a year when they fully take over?
What about the Spurs? After acquiring De’Aaron Fox in February, they could go all-in and try to maximize the window they have while Victor Wembanyama is playing on a rookie contract.
Whatever the Suns end up doing, it’s clear they need a reset.
The most success the Suns have had this century — whether it was with Steve Nash or Devin Booker – is when they had a clear identity and pecking order. Players knew their roles and executed them at a high level. Steve Nash ran the show while Amar'e Stoudemire ran the floor. Chris Paul set the table and Booker and Deandre Ayton ate.
The Suns could bring back Tyus Jones and find a pick-and-roll threat at center. Add a pair of defensive-minded wings who can make open 3s to the starting lineup alongside Booker, and a traditional identity begins to take shape. A second scoring option should come over in the Durant trade.
Empowering Booker should be the priority. Part of any front office’s job is to find ways to make the job of their star player easier. Since making three straight All-Star teams and coming in fourth in MVP voting in 2022, Booker has made just one All-Star team. This is someone who once scored 70 points in a game. The Suns need to help him get his magic back.
Depth will need to be addressed. Bradley Beal is a good sixth man, even if he’s dramatically overpaid. (Trading him seems like a non-starter due to his no-trade clause and recent comments.)
Can they find a taker for Grayson Allen?
Are Ryan Dunn, Ose Ighodaro and Collin Gillespie legitimate pieces?
Developing the young players will be key, especially as the Suns attempt to find their way out of this second-apron maze.
The biggest takeaway that Ishbia and Co. should have is that, in the NBA, there are no shortcuts. Foundation matters. Development matters. Culture matters. You need all of it, plus talent, to win at the highest level.
The Suns have a creative front office that could shift its assignment from adding veterans on the margins to restocking its draft supply. As they reduce payroll and reset the clock, the Suns should reinvest in the coaching staff and spend time on player development.
The Suns tried to cut the line and were punished by getting sent to the end. Fortunately for them, they got a crash course in what not to do. If they’ve learned the right lessons and can apply them, the Suns could be back in the playoff mix sooner than expected.