Phoenix Suns
The 2022-23 Phoenix Suns can be defined by trading the farm for Kevin Durant but losing in the second round in embarrassing fashion all the same.
What did we learn?
The Suns and new owner Matt Ishbia went all in for KD.
It was a hefty price to pay, but they got him.
For this season, there just was not enough time.
Zach Lowe has always said that KD is the most malleable superstar ever — and it’s hard to argue against that — but only eight regular season games while dealing with injuries was not sufficient. The depth here was unquestionably an issue.
Long before the trade deadline, it’s easy to forget that this Suns team was actually rolling at the beginning of the season, looking like the same ole regular season Suns of the last couple of years. On Dec. 1, Phoenix was 15-6 and sitting atop the Western Conference with the No. 2 offense and No. 6 defense.
The Suns’ hot start was all fueled by Devin Booker, cooking up some of his best work yet with 44, 51 and 41 points in three straight games. Book was in any MVP conversation a month into the season, continually hitting tough shots and maintaining complete control of the game on offense.
That’s when a groin injury derailed this Suns’ season like a black hole. Booker missed nearly two consecutive months. Without him, the Suns went 11-14 with the No. 28 offense (!!) and the No. 8 defense.
Chris Paul was not the same Point God. He looked old and was susceptible to highly inefficient games. CP3 set a career-low in points and usage for a second straight year. And he ultimately got injured in the playoffs once again and was unavailable — to the surprise of nobody.
The vibes remained off with Ayton. His intensity was questioned and his consistency stayed an issue. But then when you least expected it, he’d go out and get 30 and 10.
Mikal Bridges stepped up in the biggest way with Book out and CP struggling. Bridges took his scoring up a level while continuing to take on the toughest defensive assignments night in and night out. How was he rewarded? By being shipped to Brooklyn at the deadline for KD, along with Cam Johnson and a boatload of first-round picks, depleting the Suns’ depth and future.
KD was still hurt when the Suns traded for him, and he got hurt again during warmups. That led to only 8 regular season games for KD in a Suns uniform, but the results were good. The Suns were 8-0.
In the first round, the Clippers’ status was even worse off than the Suns with no PG and then no Kawhi. But the Nuggets in the second round were a completely different beast.
That did not stop KD and Book from going absolutely bonkers in Games 3 and 4 to the delight of the Phoenix crowd. They proved that depth be damned, if you have two of the best scorers in the league playing at the top of their game simultaneously, you can win playoff games against the best team. Combining for 86 points behind two players is absurd, and that’s what Book and KD pulled off in Game 3.
But in the end, it was a sight all too familiar for Suns fans as the Nuggets ran up the score in Game 6 in Phoenix. The Suns got trounced — a 30-point deficit at halftime of an elimination game stared them in the face all the same.
Monty Williams was fired, a decision made just two years after a magical trip to the Finals, and the Suns have already made another big trade. It’s safe to say that New Owner Syndrome is out in full force in Phoenix.
If it seemed like the Suns were about to freefall after last year, they are right back in the mix. But the end game might be harsh.
They used to be the bright future Suns.
But the future is now and time is of the essence.
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Additional Notes
Damion Lee deserves a shout out for his 3-point shooting this season. His 44.5 percent from beyond the arc was by far a career-high.
Torrey Craig and Josh Okogie also deserve a shout, playing the most games this season for the Suns at 79 and 74 games.
He’s already been traded, but never forget the Landry Shamet Game. He didn’t play in Game 2 of the second round against the Nuggets, but in Game 4, Shamet drilled five 3s — a huge reason why the Suns got that W.
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Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
Can’t trust an Over with these vibes. Under 52 wins.
Suns 2022-23 record: (45-37)
Yes indeed. This one was no sweat at all.
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What’s Next?
The Suns actually left the draft with a selection! That would be Toumani Camara from Dayton at No. 52. It was the Suns first draft pick since Day’Ron Sharpe at No. 29 in 2021 (!!), who was immediately traded to Brooklyn for Landry Shamet.
Monty Williams is OUT and Frank Vogel is IN. Always liked Vogel in LA and felt like he got thrown under the bus for the Westbrook situation he was put in.
Chris Paul is OUT and Bradley Beal is IN. Big 3s have been so dead, but the Suns went from waiving CP3 to flipping him for Beal. At the same time, the Suns’ financial future is going to be like staring into the actual sun.
Fill out the rest of the roster with complimentary role players. An Ayton trade seems all too likely. The Suns need a reliable big and a facilitator. Really, this whole operation is going to be starting from scratch.
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