If the Phoenix Suns fail to win an NBA championship this season, they may be in trouble.
The Phoenix Suns have a ton of pressure on them to perform in the 2024 Playoffs because their superstar core of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal are expected to be good enough to win it all. However, failure to win an NBA championship this season could raise major question marks, and quite frankly, their future looks very dark considering the entire makeup of their team (third-highest payroll in 2023-24 at $193,728,660) and the outlook of the 2024-25 season.
As Kevin Durant approaches his 36th birthday next season, there’s no denying the undeniable truth: time waits for no athlete, not even one of his caliber. While Durant is still among the top 10 talents in the world, his prime years are undeniably waning. His last championship glory came in 2018 with the Golden State Warriors, and his last MVP award dates back to 2014. As Durant edges closer to the twilight of his career, questions about his longevity and durability become unavoidable.
Adding another layer of complexity to this narrative is Durant’s hefty contract. He is set to earn a staggering $51,179,020 and $54,708,608 over the next two seasons, respectively. By the time his contract expires, he will be over 37 years old—an age where most NBA players have either retired or significantly declined in performance. Such a financial commitment to an aging superstar can severely hamper a franchise’s flexibility in terms of roster development and acquisitions.
In the case of Bradley Beal, his whopping $171 million contract paints a complex picture that has become increasingly concerning for both the player and the Suns. Beal, once considered an All-Star caliber player, has shown signs of decline this season.
He has appeared in only 47 games, maintaining a scoring average of 17.4 points per game (PPG) and Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 15.2 below his career averages of 21.8 PPG and a PER of 18.2. While these numbers might be acceptable for a third option on a team, they fall short of the impact and production expected from a player with Beal’s contract and reputation.
Compounding these concerns is Beal’s injury history and declining availability. He hasn’t played in at least 65 games since the 2018-19 season, with his game counts over the past five seasons being a worrying 57, 60, 40, 50, and this season’s 47. Financially, Beal’s contract is an albatross that could potentially handcuff the Wizards’ roster flexibility for the foreseeable future. He is set to make $50,203,930, $53,666,270, and $57,128,610 over the next three seasons, respectively.
Given his current trajectory, this hefty financial commitment to an aging and injury-prone player could severely limit the team’s ability to make necessary roster improvements and acquisitions. In other words, a shooting guard exiting his prime with a vast injury history making max money means Bradley Beal could be untradable.
The acquisition of Jusuf Nurkic by the Phoenix Suns appeared to be a solid move, poised to fill the void at the center position with his scoring and rebounding prowess. Averaging 11.2 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting 51.1% from the field, Nurkic’s numbers are solid. However, as the season has unfolded, it has become increasingly clear that Nurkic’s impact on the Suns has been less than needed.