The Suns are a very good team with KD in the lineup, but the question is: how good are they, and is it worth going all-in to try to win a championship around him?
• We’ve got some eye-opening stats for you about the Suns with and without KD. When he’s on the court, their offense is equivalent to the 7th best in the league, and their defense is close to the 11th best. Without him? The defense drops to 28th, though the offense stays decent at 11th.
• KD’s impact on defense has been surprising. We didn’t expect this level of defensive prowess from a 36-year-old, but he’s been a game-changer on that end.
• Here’s a stat that’ll blow your mind: The Suns are 10-0 in clutch games when KD plays this year. He’s averaging more than a point per minute in clutch time, shooting 60% from the field with just one turnover. Talk about a killer instinct!
• We’re debating whether the Suns should go all-in to build around KD. It’s a tough call, but with his clutch performance and overall impact, we’re leaning towards yes.
• The West is wide open this year. Some teams might look scary on paper, but we believe the Suns can compete with anyone when KD is healthy.
• There’s been a lot of talk about Jimmy Butler potentially coming to Phoenix. Brian Windhorst dropped some interesting updates:
- The Suns are interested in Butler (no surprise there).
- Phoenix would be fine giving Butler the $100 million he reportedly wants.
- The Heat would likely prefer to keep Butler and pay him the max rather than take on Bradley Beal’s contract.
- Don’t expect any deal to happen until right around the February 6th trade deadline.
• The new CBA has changed things, though. We’ve seen recent examples like Damian Lillard not ending up where he wanted. It’s not a guarantee anymore that stars always get their way.
• Bottom line: We think the Suns should be aggressive in improving the roster around KD. Whether that means going after Butler or making other moves, the championship window is open right now, and they need to take advantage of it.
• Keep in mind, though, that “going all-in” doesn’t mean making reckless moves. The Suns need to be strategic about how they use their limited assets to improve the team.
Remember, Suns fans, this is an exciting time. With KD healthy and playing at an elite level, anything is possible. Stay tuned as we keep you updated on all the latest trade rumors and team developments!
