This season, the Phoenix Suns have found themselves in an extremely embarrassing situation. They have paid a luxury tax of as high as 188million,rankingfirstintheentireleagueandbecomingtheonlyteaminNBAhistorytospendover188 million, ranking first in the entire league and becoming the only team in NBA history to spend over 188million,rankingfirstintheentireleagueandbecomingtheonlyteaminNBAhistorytospendover400 million. With such a huge investment, the owner naturally expects a corresponding record, but the reality is cruel. Currently ranked 12th in the West, even if they win this game, they will only have 16 wins and 18 losses. At the beginning of the season, they were once at the top of the Western Conference, but then their state plummeted. The owner's expectations have been dashed, and if they cannot make it into the playoffs or the play-in tournament, it is likely that the team will be dismantled. However, rebuilding the Suns is also difficult, as most of the first-round draft picks are controlled by the Houston Rockets, who hold three unprotected picks. To rebuild, they must first regain the draft picks, otherwise, they would just be making wedding dresses for others. In fact, when they brought in Beal, there were many voices of doubt from the outside. Beal performed outstandingly with the Wizards, but his playing style is very similar to Booker's. What the Suns really lacked at the time was not another powerful scorer, but a point guard who could activate the team or a strong player who could hold down the interior. However, at a time when the management urgently needed to strengthen the point guard and the interior, they traded Paul for Beal…

Luka Doncic, the talented young player, had to take a long break due to an unfortunate injury, which undoubtedly posed a significant challenge to his career. However, at this time, the Mavericks offered him a four-year contract worth as much as $190 million in advance renewal. This should have been a delightful gift, but unexpectedly it triggered Luka's dissatisfaction and anger. In his view, as the future face of the league, he possesses immeasurable potential and value, yet the contract seemed to overlook his strength and status, filled with contempt and insult. Therefore, Luka tore up the so-called "humiliating contract" without hesitation in front of the management, expressing his determination and attitude of rather dying than yielding. According to informed media reports, Luka has long had his heart set on a new team - the Suns. It is reported that the owner of the Suns has shown a strong interest in him and promised that if Luka is willing to join, they will provide him with a more generous and attractive contract: five years with a total value of up to $320 million. Such a top salary treatment is undoubtedly full recognition and affirmation of Luka's strength and status, making him look forward to and dream about joining the Suns. More importantly, Luka is very excited about the possibility of teaming up with Kevin Durant. He believes that both he and Durant are top stars in the league, possessing excellent basketball skills and leadership. If they can work together, they will surely produce a chemical reaction, jointly writing a new…

It's been a while since I've written about the Suns' games. As you may or may not know, the Suns have made a lineup change, correcting the mistake of starting Bill Nujian with a left-leaning bias and demoting them to the bench. The Suns have witnessed a rare phenomenon - a 50.2millionBillanda50.2 million Bill and a 50.2millionBillanda17.8 million Nujian serving as substitutes for a combined $4.5 million Dunn and Plumlee. This strategy of the Suns, akin to Tian Ji racing his horses, has been both effective and ineffective. It has been effective in that the Suns have achieved a record of 4 wins and 1 loss after the lineup change. Booker is averaging 26.6 points and 8.8 assists, while Durant is averaging 24.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists, seemingly more at ease, as if saying to Bill: "We were already doing this before you came." Bill, on the other hand, is averaging 17.4 points and 4.2 assists, having taken off the crown of the most expensive substitute in history. However, it has been ineffective as they even dared to lose to the Hornets, who were on a 10-game losing streak, resembling the righteous bandits of Liangshan. Indeed, the leader determines the temperament of the team. A small episode occurred when a Suns fan asked: "Describe Durant's era in Phoenix with a song title or lyrics!" Unexpectedly, a large number of haters emerged - "This Is the End," "Goodbye, Goodbye," "Less Talk, More Action," "Unearned," etc. This angered Durant, who personally expressed his dissatisfaction: "Oh my god, Suns fans, I…

NBA regular season continues, with the Phoenix Suns suffering a 117-122 loss on the road against the Atlanta Hawks. In this game, the Suns started off well offensively but were unable to exert pressure defensively, trailing by 2 points at the end of the first quarter with a score of 31-33. In the second quarter, their defense showed no improvement, and as their offensive state declined, their disadvantage gradually increased. At halftime, the Suns were down by 8 points with a score of 56-64. In the third quarter, the point difference quickly widened to over 10 points, but fortunately, the Suns found their offensive rhythm again, not allowing the Hawks many counterattacks. They launched a 29-13 run, instantly turning the situation around. However, in the fourth quarter, the Suns' offense became unstable once more, relying only on their star players to barely maintain their lead. Combined with poor defense, they ultimately lost their advantage and the game. After the loss, the Suns' record stands at 19 wins and 20 losses. So where exactly did the Suns lose this game? Perhaps the data can provide us with some answers. Kevin Durant shot 13 out of 20 from the field, 0 out of 2 from three-point range, and 5 out of 7 from the free-throw line, scoring 31 points with 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and 3 turnovers. Today, Durant's performance was almost impeccable. He played efficiently and consistently, delivering an impressive display on both ends of the court despite his high minutes. This is reflected in the statistics.…

Undoubtedly, the current Thunder team is brimming with vitality and talent, but how far can they go in the playoffs? The Thunder currently leads the West with a record of 31 wins and 6 losses, but their recent three defeats against the Rockets, Bucks, and Cavaliers have exposed their shortcomings when facing strong opponents. The Thunder is full of potential, boasting many young players who have yet to reach their peak. The biggest challenge for the Thunder is whether these young players can support them in advancing to the Finals. Last year in the playoffs, they were defeated by the more experienced Mavericks. If Thunder General Manager Sam Presti believes that the team needs to bring in an All-Star veteran to help them progress further, he undoubtedly has sufficient draft picks as bargaining chips. Choosing to bring back Kevin Durant, the former star who led the team to the Finals, would undoubtedly be the best choice. Durant's current team, the Suns, is currently in trouble, providing the Thunder with an opportunity to acquire him. If the 36-year-old Durant wants to elevate his historical status, he needs to continue competing for championships, and returning to the Thunder would also be the best choice. What assets can the Thunder offer to bring back Durant? American media outlet "FW" special correspondent Colin Keane has provided a simulated trade proposal between the two teams: Thunder Acquires: Kevin Durant - Annual salary of 51.18 million, contract until 2026, averaging 27.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks this season, with shooting percentages…

The Thunder this season can be considered the best team in the West, currently they are still able to rank first in the West with a record of 32 wins and 6 losses even without Holmgren, and the gap between them and the second place in the West has already been widened, so although the regular season is not yet halfway through, as long as they do not have a large-scale injury, they have basically locked in the top spot in the West in advance. And considering the age of the three core players Alexander, Jiewei, and Holmgren, the Thunder is expected to maintain their current competitiveness in the future, and even have a chance to win the championship. And when we think back to the last time we saw the Thunder relying on their own young players to show the trend of achieving a dynasty, it was still during the period of the Thunder's three young talents. In 2007, the Thunder selected Durant, in 2008 they selected Westbrook, and in 2009 they selected Harden. These three entered the league and quickly realized their talent, so in 2012 they successfully led the Thunder into the finals, but that year they faced the more experienced Heat's Big Three, and the Thunder eventually lost. Although the Thunder lost to the Heat, at that time the outside world was still very optimistic about their prospects, but at the same time the Thunder first ushered in the renewal problem that made the management very headache. At that time, Durant had already signed a four-year…

LeBron James and Kevin Durant, one aged 39 and the other 35, have both surpassed the typical retirement age for NBA players. Yet, they remain top-tier superstars in today's NBA. As talented players at the same position with overlapping careers, it's inevitable that they are often compared. LeBron James is known for his versatility and longevity, considered a historical-level ball-handler, while Kevin Durant is a historical-level scoring machine capable of scoring against any opponent. Both James and Durant are top small forwards, with James widely regarded by mainstream media as the greatest small forward in history. However, in terms of accolades, James has a significant lead over Durant, a gap that is almost impossible to close due to age, as Durant is also 35 years old and could easily find himself on the brink of retirement. James and Durant both entered the NBA at 19, with James being the first overall pick and Durant the second. Both made an immediate impact and have maintained consistency throughout their careers. In their entire careers, Durant averages 27.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, with a two-point shooting percentage of 54% and a three-point shooting percentage of 38.7%. James, on the other hand, averages 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game, with a two-point shooting percentage of 55.4% and a three-point shooting percentage of 34.6%. In total career statistics, Durant has played 1014 games with a total of 27728 points, 7134 rebounds, and 4436 assists. James, however, has played 1453 games with a total of 39452 points, 10902 rebounds,…

If you were Jimmy Butler, would you continue to stay on the sinking ship that is the Heat, or choose to jump to another team with more potential to fight for more glory in your career? This seemingly difficult choice has fallen on Butler. This versatile small forward of the Heat, after losing to the Pacers, completely broke down mentally and openly stated: "I want to leave this team." As soon as the news came out, the entire league exploded. Fans discussed it, some expressing understanding, and others feeling angry about his approach of "abandoning the team." So, what changes will Jimmy Butler's departure bring to the NBA? Can he find a new breakthrough at his next stop? Let's delve into this massive three-way trade that is about to hit the NBA. If this trade comes true, then the biggest winner is undoubtedly the Suns. They will use Bradley Beal and other chips to exchange for a superstar who has led the team to the finals, Jimmy Butler, forming a new "Big Three" with Durant and Booker. Just think about it, Durant + Booker + Butler, just hearing the names makes people feel intimidated, and this lineup truly possesses championship competitiveness. However, having a powerful lineup on paper is not enough. How these three individuals' personalities and playing styles will mesh has always been the biggest concern for fans. Durant, this historically level scorer, has already achieved great success in terms of honors, but he has been criticized for his "leadership shortcomings" throughout his career. From the Thunder to the…

Will Durant be abandoned by the times? This question sounds exaggerated, but in this year's NBA All-Star voting, it has become the focus of many discussions. Despite averaging 27.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, Durant remains one of the most threatening scorers in the league. However, with the Suns' current record barely ranking 12th in the West, he is at a disadvantage in the competitive All-Star starting lineup race. On the other hand, his competitors are more energetic than ever: James breaks the historical scoring record, rookie Wembanyama comes strong, and even Curry, who has been quiet for a while, picks up his past glory. This seems to make people think that this four-time scoring champion and two-time NBA champion may really be at a "fateful" moment in his career. Let's start with James. At 38 years old, he directly pokes a big hole in the saying "one generation is not as good as the next." Not only did he surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time regular-season scoring champion, but he also averages 23.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game—this would have made a player in their early thirties be hailed as the "future leader of the league." More importantly, James' influence on the court remains unchanged, and he steadily leads the Lakers to maintain their position in the top six in the West. If the All-Star starting lineup is a "strength + popularity" double competition, then James has almost no weaknesses. He is not just a scoring machine but also a superstar with his…

What price have European and American celebrities paid to win over peak Kevin Durant? The 36-year-old Kevin Durant has kept his love life very private, except for his former fiancée Monica Wright, with whom he had a public relationship. Durant only once couldn't help but express his desire to drink Scarlett's bathwater when he saw her on the red carpet at the 2011 Golden Globe Awards. Back in 2014, the then 26-year-old Durant and WNBA player Monica Wright, who was also 26, suddenly announced their engagement. However, less than a year later, they announced the end of their engagement. Durant's reason was that he loved her, but didn't know how to love her in the right way. Later, Wright married an ordinary person named Michael Rogers. In fact, Durant and Wright met at the McDonald's All-American High School Basketball Game in 2006 and have maintained close contact since then, so Wright is likely Durant's first love. After that, Durant seemed to close off his heart, but some beauties tried to get close to him. During the 2016 offseason, internet celebrity Jasmine Shine was rumored to be involved with Durant, with their relationship being up and down, and they completely parted ways after half a year. During the 2017 offseason, model Brittany Elena went on several dates with Durant. At the start of the 2017 new season, actress Apryl Jones successfully got closer to him, but it was just a brief fling. In 2018, supermodel Dai Fraizer was rumored to be involved with Durant. Then, a real estate agent named Cassandra…