The Phoenix Suns’ run may be over. As of press time, they’re down 0-2 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and they’re on the verge of dropping to 0-3 as the team takes the series back to Phoenix. The trade for Bradley Beal hasn’t worked out for the Suns, and Devin Booker has seemingly taken a step back during this playoff series.
It’s put a lot of pressure on Kevin Durant to score and lead the team to an improbable win over the best defense in the NBA. It’s unlikely that Durant can lead the team past the Wolves at this point, and with how much draft capital the team has sunk into just two guys (Durant and Beal), and how much financially the team has sunk into Booker, Durant, Beal and Grayson Allen, it doesn’t seem like the Suns have the mobility required to improve the roster.
If the Suns are bounced out, there’s no reason to think this team stays together. It’s old, it’s slow and it’s lacking the depth needed to succeed. Durant knows this and it seems unlikely that he’d stick around with a team that can’t realistically build a team around him to win. The Suns can’t get much back for Beal.
The team could flip Booker for a nice return, one that may give Durant the players he needs to win now. That doesn’t seem likely though, and it’s far more likely that Durant gets dealt instead. If he does, the Jazz would be foolish not to go get him. If Durant wants out, the run is over and the Suns are likely to start trading every asset they have to rebuild.
The team can’t hope to build a team fast enough around Booker, as he’s about to turn 28, so without Durant, this team is no longer a serious contender. Booker would get dealt, and so would Beal and Allen. With the fact that Durant could want out and the team trading him, it’s not realistic to expect the Suns to get the same return that the Brooklyn Nets got when they traded for Durant. So you wouldn’t have to spend nearly as much as past teams did to get Durant.
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