The Phoenix Suns have finally risen again, securing a hard-fought victory over the Detroit Pistons with a score of 125-121, marking their second consecutive win. With a current record of 21 wins and 20 losses, they stand at 10th place in the Western Conference, just one game behind the eighth spot. Recently, the decision to bench star player Bradley Beal has been seen as a sign of surrender from the Suns. Placing a player with a $50 million annual salary in a sixth-man role is an admission of the folly of trading Chris Paul for Beal, especially when both players have similar playing styles.
It's clear that many fans were skeptical when Beal joined the Suns, and it seems the team's management may not be as astute as the fans. This season, the Suns find themselves in a desperate situation, with a luxury tax of a staggering 188millionandtotalexpendituresexceeding400 million. If they can only make it to the play-in tournament, this would be unacceptable for the team's owner. Moreover, the Suns have no way out; their path has been cut off by the Houston Rockets, who hold most of their future draft picks.
This is why the odds of Booker's next team being the Rockets are so high, as the Suns must regain their draft picks from the Rockets if they wish to rebuild. Now, the Suns have only one option left: to continue gambling, and they cannot stop. However, the Suns have made some wise moves, such as signing Jones at a low price to replace some of Paul's value. They also traded for center Jalen Duren using Okogie and a second-round pick. In today's game against the Pistons, Duren came off the bench, playing 29 minutes and scoring 21 points with 1 assist and 11 rebounds, proving to be a key factor in the win.
The Suns managed to defeat the Pistons due to Cunningham's poor shooting performance, going 7 for 26 and scoring 20 points, as well as the Suns' explosive offensive power, with Durant scoring 36 points, 5 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks, and Booker contributing 35 points, 3 assists, and 5 rebounds. Duren was crucial in securing the victory, with his scoring and rebounding protecting the Suns' interior. In contrast, Plumlee did not live up to his starting role, playing only 12 minutes. The Suns' starting lineup is now clear.
In the future, Jones will be the point guard, Booker the shooting guard, and the small forward position is just one step away from acquiring Jimmy Butler, with Durant at the power forward and Duren at the center. Today, Jones scored 4 points and provided 10 assists, demonstrating sufficient playmaking ability. The Suns also have Dunn, Iguodala, Allen, and other immediate contributors. Now that Beal knows the Suns do not want him, he too wishes to leave, as it is uncomfortable for a former Wizards leader to come off the bench.
NBA reporter Evan Sidery reports that the Suns have not given up on Butler. Currently, the Suns are going all-in for Butler, despite having no money. They have offered several proposals, but the Heat have rejected them all. The Suns now regret giving up their last draft pick when they traded for Beal. If they hadn't traded Paul for Beal, they would have had the assets to acquire Butler. Butler himself wants to leave, and he has already indicated that he would only re-sign with the Suns. It remains to be seen whether the Suns can find a way before the trade deadline.
The Suns have decided to put their last first-round pick on the table, which is their only remaining draft pick. They are willing to pay any price to form a trio of stars, regardless of the consequences. Of course, the Suns' current salary situation is dire, and they will need to convince Beal to waive his trade veto power if they want to trade for Butler. ESPN journalist Brian Windhorst agrees, saying that everyone now knows that Butler and the Suns are connected. Butler has not yet made his big move, but he plans to further pressure the Heat to send him to the Suns. If the Suns succeed, the draft picks the Rockets own from the Suns in 2025, 2027, and 2029 might be in jeopardy, especially the 2025 pick. We'll have to wait until 2027 to see.