Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal are still part of the Phoenix Suns after a busy trade deadline. Now, they have about 30 games left to improve a season that has been disappointing so far.
However, there aren’t many signs to suggest that things will turn around.
The Suns were relatively quiet during the trade deadline, despite rumors that Beal and Durant might be traded. Phoenix general manager James Jones didn’t share much about how seriously he considered trading either player when asked before a game against the Utah Jazz.
“It always gets noisy when you’re not winning,” Jones said. “And we’re not winning.”
The Suns are 26-25 after breaking a three-game losing streak with a 135-127 overtime win over the Jazz on Friday night. Durant (ankle) and Beal (toe) were both out due to injuries.
Injuries have been a constant problem for the All-Star trio over the past 18 months, preventing them from playing together for long stretches. Durant’s absence has been especially tough for the team. The Suns are 24-15 when he plays and 1-10 when he doesn’t.
Even when all three players have been healthy, success has been inconsistent. After being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, the Suns made changes by retooling their roster around the Big 3. They fired coach Frank Vogel and hired Mike Budenholzer, but the team still hasn’t found success.
Phoenix is running out of time to figure things out with this group. Jones insists the team isn’t giving up.
Devin Booker shoots to score the ball“I think the injuries are a part of it,” Jones said. “I also think we just haven’t performed well enough. … But we do see glimpses of success, and for right now, these last 32 games of the year give us an opportunity to maximize what we do.”
Beal had been part of trade rumors for months because of the $110 million he’s owed over the next two years. The three-time All-Star also has a no-trade clause, but Jones said he never asked Beal to waive it.
The 31-year-old is averaging 17.4 points per game and was moved to the bench earlier this season.
The speculation surrounding Durant came as more of a surprise, especially in the days leading up to the deadline. Even at 36 years old, Durant is still one of the league’s best scorers, averaging nearly 27 points per game. He will play in his 15th All-Star game later this month and is under contract for next season.
It’s unclear how the trade rumors impacted Durant, but Jones called him a “pro.”
“He’s always shown and will continue to show, and I think this team will continue to show, that despite the things outside of our walls, we will focus on the task at hand and that’s ball,” Jones said.
Jones, who won three NBA titles during his 14-year career, believes that the team still has potential to make a deep playoff run. The Suns did trade center Jusuf Nurkic to the Hornets on Thursday, adding Cody Martin and Vasa Micic for more depth on the perimeter.
Jones’ optimism may seem hard to believe, but right now, there’s not much else to do.
“We understand that there’s a lot of work to do,” Jones said. “But it’ll be fun. It’ll be a challenge and we’re up to it.”
