Devin Booker and Kevin Durant expressed the value of continuity after the Suns were swept in the opening round by the Timberwolves, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports relays. Rather than making major changes to the roster and staff, the superstar duo believes they just need to go through the process together.
“At the end of all this, there’s gonna be one winner, and everybody that doesn’t win is gonna go into somewhat of a panic mode and feel like they have to make changes and do this and do that,” Booker said. “But I think over time, experience is the best teacher. So the more that you can spend time together and feel this hurt together and go through it together, the better off you are in the future.”
“Yeah, continuity is important,” Durant said. “All the great teams in the league thus far has been together for two, three years — the Minnesotas, Denvers, Bostons, the Lakers, OKCs. A lot of teams have been together for a few years, so I’m looking forward to building.”
We have more on the Suns:
- As part of the above-mentioned theme, Booker believes that poor communication was a primary reason for their downfall, according to ESPN’s Baxter Holmes. “I think everybody would say that the details matter and it’s something that we kind of passed by and didn’t think was a big deal but kind of came back and bit us in the ass,” Booker said, adding, “Hopefully, everybody is feeling the same type of hurt. I have to be better. Kevin has to be better. Brad (Bradley Beal) has to be better. Coach has to be better. We’re the leaders of the team. We can’t be out there unprepared.”
- Mark Deeks of HoopsHype provides his offseason outlook for the Suns, noting how hamstrung they’ll be as a team over the second tax apron. Perhaps the only significant move they might make would be changing coaches again.
- The salary cap issues will make it difficult for the Suns to acquire a true starting point guard and improve one of the shallowest benches in the league without creating other holes, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst opines. Windhorst notes Phoenix ranked last in offensive efficiency in fourth quarters, when having a floor leader is crucial.
- The Suns would have been better off making more prudent choices the last couple of years rather than bringing in two more superstars and creating the predicament they’re in now, Michael Pina of The Ringer argues. They may have to seriously consider moving on from Durant while he still has plenty of value around the league, Pina adds, though that might also alienate Booker.
- Regarding Durant, he never felt comfortable with his role in Phoenix’s offense alongside Booker and Beal this season, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Doug Haller. Sources tell The Athetic’s duo that Durant had persistent issues with the offense, feeling that he was being relegated to the corner far too often and not having the proper schemes to play to his strengths. Some teammates and people close to the organization believed Durant should have urged Frank Vogel and his coaching staff to make those changes.