The Phoenix Suns are in a tough spot, having lost four straight games and looking worse than ever. We’re diving into the team’s struggles, their response to the losses, and whether they’re losing faith in themselves.
• We’re seeing a mirror image of last season, but in the opposite direction. Last year, the Suns won four straight after Christmas. This year, they’ve lost four straight.
• The team’s current situation is worse than last season. They have a 5% chance of making the playoffs and a 20% chance of making the play-in, according to Basketball Reference.
• The Suns’ lack of energy and spirit on and off the court is at an all-time low. We’re seeing players laughing on the sidelines while down by 20 points, which is concerning given their recent struggles.
• There’s a noticeable lack of fight in this team. When was the last time we saw them go on a big run or make a comeback? It’s been a while.
• The three main issues plaguing the Suns are defense (they’re 24th in the league), the center rotation, and the fit of the three stars.
• We’re questioning whether this trio of stars believes they can work together anymore. Their body language and on-court performance suggest they might not buy into the system.
• The team’s offensive efficiency is still 10th in the NBA, which seems hard to believe given their recent performances.
• There’s a clear lack of leadership and culture on this team. This falls squarely on the stars, particularly Devin Booker as the long-time Sun.
• We’re seeing parallels to the Lakers team from years ago with Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, and Steve Nash that completely flopped.
• The Jimmy Butler situation with the Miami Heat could potentially benefit the Suns. Butler’s openness to leaving Miami increases Phoenix’s chances of acquiring him.
• However, acquiring Butler isn’t straightforward. It would likely require a third or fourth team to facilitate the trade, given Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause and the Heat’s potential disinterest in Beal.
• We estimate a 40% chance of Jimmy Butler becoming a Sun, but we’re not sure if he’d fix the team’s current issues.
• The Suns seem to be holding out hope for a Butler trade, which might explain why they haven’t made other moves yet.
• Remember, this is a talented team. They should be beating some of these weaker opponents based on skill alone. The fact that they’re not is concerning.
• We’ll keep you updated on any developments with the Jimmy Butler situation and the Suns’ performance in their upcoming games.
