Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia here, the hosts of the daily Locked On Suns podcast, with your daily Locked On Suns newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Suns and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Kevin Durant Is Taking the Suns Out of Their Offense
Dec 28, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) waits for play to resume against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards/Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Kevin Durant is having another fantastic statistical season for the Phoenix Suns.
Likely headed toward his 15th NBA All-Star game and once again averaging 28-plus points on 50-plus percent shooting, Durant was an MVP candidate early in the season and has carried the Suns for portions of the year so far. But right now, Durant is part of the problem when it comes to the team’s inability to stick with a team concept on offense.
Yes, this stretch has come without both Devin Booker and Grayson Allen. That context matters, but it doesn’t explain why Durant has five or more turnovers four times in the past month. Those turnovers are coming because Durant is initiating offense more than is healthy for the overall team offense.
Simply put, Durant is trying to do too much. After averaging around 9 drives per game in October and November, Durant is up to nearly 13 drives per game in December. That has corresponded with a small uptick in free-throw attempts, but also more free throws of late and a worse team offense overall.
Head coach Mike Budenholzer was hired to bring two things to the offense: More three-point shooting and faster pace resulting from a more basic and replicable structure. In two losses over the weekend in which the Suns averaged 97 points per game, they put up 35 threes apiece. If the Suns shot 35 threes per game, that would rank 25th in the NBA. The Suns are down to 21st in offensive seconds per possession.
At the same time that these areas have lagged, Durant has taken over more of the offense. When it comes to threes, Durant put up four and five, respectively, in the losses. But despite his highest usage rate since 2014, Durant is not leveraging all that scoring into being a more threatening passer. He has his lowest assist rate since 2012 and is not generating the same types of open threes as a playmaker that free agent point guard acquisition Tyus Jones is.
Now to his credit, the Suns do tend to score more in transition when Durant is on the court. He is a killer in the open floor.
The main trends to watch here are Durant’s increased drives, decrease in assists, and recent uptick in turnovers. Those numbers simply aren’t what tenable for an offensive engine on a top NBA team.
On today’s episode, we discuss the Suns’ offense and one more reminder why it needs to run more through Jones. Then, we look at the Jusuf Nurkic suspension and another big NBA trade.
Dec 21, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts to a question during a post game interview after the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. | Ed Szczepanski/Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown was fired on his way to meet his team at the airport, Anthony Edwards was fined again — this time a cool $100k — for profanity, Amen Thompson picked Tyler Herro up and skipped him like a stone over the hardwood floor, the Suns and Mavs got into it too, and D’Angelo Russell was traded to the Nets (again) in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. It was a busy weekend in the NBA.
But let’s not focus on the chaos. Let’s instead look to a milestone within the milieu of the NBA’s theatrics, one that’s sat looming, casting a long shadow over the league for years now and especially over LeBron James, who turns 40 today.
James is a rare athlete in many ways. He’s been dominant in every decade of his career — and it’s rare enough to pluralize “decade” when discussing the length of an athlete’s career — and at one point was the greatest athlete on the planet. He’s won NBA titles, Olympic gold medals, has played a huge role in furthering athlete autonomy and reshaping the public’s perception of what an athlete can do and be off the court (or field, rink, etc.) in terms of political and social awareness and advocacy. He’s the first ever athlete to play alongside his son at a professional level and he’s advanced, even introduced, the concept of recovery and physical and mental longevity for an athlete.
He’s also still capable of forcefully taking your breath away with a rousing block, dunk, and the ability to toss his team on his back and take control of the game — he’s still averaging 23.5 points, 9 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game.
James’ rarest attribute though is something of a double-edged sword: his longevity. The quality of longevity, pure staying power, James has maintained throughout his career is the kind of consistency we just don’t see in sports yet he’s made it feel routine, totally normal.
The gift of this for basketball fans has been having James as both a metronome and a backdrop for over 20 seasons. Other players have taken what he’s done and made their own improvisations, but he’s the rhythm that drives the game like he’s the mountain set at the horizon, offering a perennial sense of direction. What happens when these two constant factors aren’t there anymore?
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis The Phoenix Suns’ struggles with three-point shooting and defense continue to hinder their performance in the 2024 NBA season. The team’s inconsistency in these areas is a major concern moving forward. (Bright Side of the Sun)
Analysis After another frustrating loss, Kevin Durant voiced his concerns about the team’s performance, emphasizing the need for better execution and consistency. His candid remarks highlight internal challenges. (Sports Illustrated)
Injury Following a recent altercation, Jusuf Nurkić has been suspended by the NBA. His absence may impact the Suns’ frontcourt depth and game strategy. (Bleacher Report)
Celebrate 40 great moments for LeBron James on his 40th birthday. (NBA.com)
Milestone By the numbers: a statistical look at NBA milestones as LeBron James turns 40. (TSN)
Biz A look inside Mike Brown’s final days with the Sacramento Kings. (The Athletic)
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Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Basketball Implications Of The Lakers & Nets Trade
Dec 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) moves the ball against Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez/Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The NBA trade market is heating up, and the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers have made the first significant move of the season. In a surprising turn of events, D’Angelo Russell is heading back to Brooklyn, while Dorian Finney-Smith makes his way to Los Angeles.
The trade details are as follows:
Brooklyn receives:
D’Angelo Russell
Maxwell Lewis (2023 second-round pick)
Three second-round picks
Los Angeles receives:
Dorian Finney-Smith
Shake Milton
This move has significant implications for both teams and fantasy basketball managers alike. For Brooklyn, Russell’s return could shake up their backcourt rotation. With Cam Thomas also returning from injury, the Nets suddenly have an abundance of scoring guards. While this might lead to some exciting offensive performances, it could also create a defensive nightmare for Brooklyn.
Noah Clowney’s value may see an uptick with Finney-Smith’s departure. The rookie has shown flashes of potential in recent games, and this trade could open up more consistent minutes for him. However, it’s important to temper expectations, as the Nets’ rotation remains fluid.
Ben Simmons’ role is now in question. With Russell taking over primary ball-handling duties, Simmons might see a reduction in minutes and usage. Fantasy managers should monitor this situation closely, as Simmons could become a potential drop candidate if his playing time dips significantly.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Suns podcasts.
Where Did Phoenix Suns Offense Go? Plus Jusuf Nurkic Suspended, Lakers Steal Dorian Finney-Smith
Another busy and brutal weekend for the Phoenix Suns with back to back losses struggling to crack 100 points, a suspension for Jusuf Nurkic, and more. Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia break down the Suns’ strange offensive woes, Nurk’s breaking point, and the Lakers stealing Dorian Finney-Smith from under the Suns’ noses.
What the Phoenix Suns Need To Carry Over From Huge Christmas Win Over Nuggets
The Phoenix Suns found a defensive backbone and balance between Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in their big Christmas day win over the Nuggets. Brendon Kleen and Ben Garcia are joined by Erik Ruby of PHNX Sports to break down how the Suns got the W and what can carry over into the rest of the Suns season. Then, a guess on what comes next in the Jimmy Butler saga.
Bradley Beal & Phoenix Suns Embrace Defensive Identity In Revenge Win Over Nuggets
Bradley Beal and his two-way play helped the Phoenix Suns clamp down the Denver Nuggets and get revenge with a win on Christmas. Brendon Kleen reacts to a bounce-back game for the Suns, including Beal’s momentum-shifting block, Mike Budenholzer’s approach to playing Denver a second time, and more!
