After missing the past five games with a left groin strain, star guard Devin Booker returned to action on Tuesday vs. Memphis, recording 16 points, four rebounds, nine assists and a steal in 30 minutes. However, he went just 4-of-20 from the field as the Suns dropped their third straight game.
While Booker expressed confidence that he’ll soon return to his normal form, he admitted that the team is very frustrated with its recent play — after starting the season with a 9-2 record, the Suns have gone just 6-15 since, and are currently 15-17, the No. 11 seed in the West.
“Frustration level’s high,” Booker said (Twitter video links via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports). “We’re all competitors in here, and we realize these games are gonna cost us in the end of the season. …We wanna gain some ground, get up out of the play-in position and just win every possible game.”
“We have guys that have won at a high level, that have high expectations, high standards,” head coach Mike Budenholzer said, per Bourguet (Twitter video link). “…We gotta find ways to get better, so these are not easy times. But our guys will find a way through it, and we’ll find a way through it together.”
Kevin Durant, who finished with 29 points (on 11-of-19 shooting), 10 rebounds, six assists, one steal and two blocks in 39 minutes, said he needed to play better for the team to find success, according to Bourguet (Twitter video link).
“I feel like I can do so much out there, I just feel like I gotta be better,” Durant said. “And I feel like every player in the locker room got that same mentality. So we all look in the mirror, we’ll be a better team.”
As Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic writes, on the night Booker returned, Phoenix lost Bradley Beal to a hip contusion of unknown severity. And Grayson Allen, who was probable entering Tuesday’s contest after missing the previous four games while in the NBA’s concussion protocol, was unable to suit up due to a shoulder injury he sustained in Monday’s practice. Veteran forward Royce O’Neale is also out at least 10 days with a left ankle sprain.
At what point do they give bol bol a try? Seems like him and KD would cover a lot of space – basically the opposite of Nurkic.
Bol bol should atleast be ahead of plumlee. Suns shouldn’t care about the personal issues at this point.
If Suns are not able to trade away Beal, ……
Trade is absolutely needed for Suns
Which team should have master plan to land Booker?
Rockets would offer Jalen Green and Smith for Booker this summer
Spurs would offer Johnson and Sochan for Booker
All trade proposals need draft capital to induce Suns
The problem of Kings and Suns GMs is that they know how to create the problem, but they don’t know how to solve it.
Suns
Kings
KD said he need to play better 4 assists shy of a triple double. Writing is on the wall.
Mindblowing how the Suns and Warriors seasons are pretty much identical right now.
KD, DLee, Pumlee for Wiggins, Looney, GP2 and Podz and 3 picks makes both teams better.
That garbage proposal wouldn’t land you Durant on his own.
If KD demands a trade though his value goes way down
Suns are a second apron team and can’t aggregate salaries.
They could use the min salary exception for 1 player like plumlee
My ex below works but I think GSW might have to wiggle off like 2 m in a separate trade to make the 2 necessary adds after the 4-2 package, Doable tho per my trade.
*I think you will see a couple apron 2 teams use the min salary exception next 5 weeks
Does that still apply if they are gaining a player? Maybe? Who the f knows with the current rules lol
Not saying this particular proposal makes any sense mind you.
Suns can’t aggregate salaries
I wonder how Mat Ishbia is feeling about his investment now. He’s paying a record breaking luxury tax, has traded away virtually all of his future 1st round picks and has the second oldest team in the NBA. And all this for a team that might not even make the playoffs?
It’s his own fault they traded Bridges for KD and traded for Beal. He should deal with the consequences and let the front office do their job.
The talent is there, and you can’t blame your third coach in three years. For all the money and flexibility Ishbia has given away, makes me wonder if they should’ve kept Chris Paul instead of Beal. More than the fit, CP3’s ability to hold everyone accountable and demand a level of effort/grind that they haven’t had. Even if he’s a Haslem on the bench.
Time for Book to come home to Michigan, a place he still reps. I think the Pistons can put a solid package together to get the job done. Pistons, knock on that door.
That weather in Arizona is pretty good man. The roster construction of Book and Beal was always a stupid idea. Book isn’t the problem. Here’s Davey trading rotation pieces for guys like KD, Giannis, Jokic, Luka etc again….lol.
Its check in on KD time, always a fun time for teams…Whats his temp ?
I dont want to prolong 5 weeks of Davey ideas but oddly the money and think tank works on a Wiggins Kuminga GP3 Looney for KD + Plumlee deal
Plumlee gets slipped in using the min player exception
If KD is flight risk and Phx wants to keep the money slots avail moving forward I doubt they could ever get 2 good players like Wiggins/Kuminga back. A trade with more future picks sure but Id think theyd prefer actual ready made players like this instead. Doubtful this happens, idk if Kds ego can handle a Rd 2 in Nor Cal but its an actual trade that coul beenfit both teams Imo. If Kd asks out over the summer with only 1 year left he’s not netting close to the package he could today
Exactly. People on here live in 2K trade values, but in real life if he asks for a trade, KD’s drops significantly to where it might take $ match and picks to make work, which GSW currently has.
To be clear I doubt Kd and/or GSW is down with this reunion
This trade actually makes MORE sense for Phx than GSW Imo
But the money does work, it is doable, and well if you want to reach for the stars its an option I guess. Personally I wouldn’t if Im GSW, but it be an option (possibly)??
*I was actually trying to configure Kd trades after they slipped under 500 and this one made the most sense for what I felt like Phx wanted moving forward (Ready made players )
** Not too many (willing) teams can even money match 50 mill, GSW can
**ALso for what its worth Phx schedule is as about as easy as you can get for a Western Conf team the next 5 weeks.
Makes any BIG Phx big trades less likely , KD trade much more likely if the went 6-9 over next 15 rather than 9-6
The Warriors don’t have the assets to compete with other teams for a KD level player… Even if he does a Butler…
It’s probably a nice pipe dream for desperate Warriors fans tho..
Suns can’t aggregate salaries in a trade
It’s tough to build a competitive team when your 3 star players are made of glass.
The league needs to do something about the Bradley Beals, Zions, Ben Simmonssssss and Joel Embiiiids of the world. These guys are fraudsters. How do you even make the NBA being so prone to injury? If I owned an NBA team, I would be looking at my medical staff like WTF is wrong with the guy’s skeleton, muscles, brain.
You blow up a team that went to the finals for a star in KD. You then do another move for a guy making $60million. I can’t feel sorry for them, learn about the cap you can’t build a good team when 3 guys eat all the money.
You’re right. CP3 doesn’t get enough credit. Mans helped SGA become a star, helped Book make the finals, helped rox make the wcf and is now helping Wemby to make the playoffs potentially and keep him focused.
If he was really frustrated he would ask to be traded. Stop gas lighting Book!
KD being humble saying he can do better, brotha is doing everything he can already.
Blame you stupid meddling owner, Booker.
Trade for Jimmy, that’ll solve everything!
It would at least replace the heart they lost from trading CP3.