Phoenix Suns Not Concerned Following Quiet Offseason

The Phoenix Suns just wrapped up one of the most successful seasons in their franchise’s history.

They dominated the league with 64 wins, securing the top seed in the Western Conference. Monty Williams earned the title of NBA’s top coach, while Devin Booker showcased his skills and proved he was a rising superstar in the league.

What’s the big deal about their practically nonexistent offseason?

The Suns were shocked in the conference semifinals by the Dallas Mavericks, possibly ending Chris Paul’s chance at a championship. It was believed that Phoenix needed to make a big move in the offseason by adding another star player to support Booker and Paul.

Throughout the summer, Williams has consistently expressed his satisfaction with the current roster of the Suns.

Williams expressed his admiration for the team during a recent interview with Sirius XM NBA Radio, stating, “I like our team. I love our guys.”

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Williams is following a similar strategy to Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, his counterpart in the Eastern Conference. Just like Williams, Spoelstra led his team to the top seed last season but ultimately fell short of their goals.

The team was eliminated from the playoffs by the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the conference finals and will start this season with an unchanged roster from the previous year, except for the loss of forward P.J. Tucker to the Philadelphia 76ers and the arrival of rookie Nikola Jovic.

It is uncertain whether the Suns and Heat opted to stick with their current rosters or simply came up short in free agent and trade discussions. In the past, teams typically relied on retaining the same lineup and giving it another shot the following season.

However, in the modern NBA, it requires a higher level of skill to stay competitive.

Even the highest-ranked teams in the league are realizing the importance of making improvements during the offseason. Following their 2012 championship win with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh leading the way, the Heat made upgrades by bringing in Hall of Famer Ray Allen and former All-Star Rashard Lewis.

The Golden State Warriors’ loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 prompted them to acquire Kevin Durant from the Oklahoma City Thunder. This event highlighted the importance of teams adding talent in order to maintain their competitive edge.

Nevertheless, the Suns remain confident in their core group.

Prioritizing their home, they secured center Deandre Ayton with a four-year, $133-million deal and granted Booker a supermax extension, effectively concluding the Ayton trade rumors that had persisted for months.

Simultaneously, this move dashed the Suns’ hopes of acquiring Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, which many believed was their best opportunity to compete with the reigning champions, the Warriors. Ayton was seen as the Suns’ top bargaining chip in any potential deal for Durant. However, by matching Ayton’s contract, the Suns are now unable to trade him until January 15th.

Williams stated that he had not discussed the Durant-Ayton speculation with any of the team members. He emphasized the difficulty of making trades and expressed surprise at the rumors involving Kevin Durant. Williams reflected on the team’s success in attracting players to Phoenix and questioned the potential consequences of pursuing certain trades.

Williams did not bring up the trade possibility with Ayton or any other player on the team. Most free agency speculation is unrealistic and is mainly used to keep fans and media engaged in NBA discussions during the offseason.

Williams stated that he was not willing to engage in unnecessary conversations that were not essential. He believed that the team members were mature enough to comprehend this aspect of the business. Williams did not want to address topics that were not pertinent and felt that his extensive experience in the industry had influenced his decision. He emphasized the difficulty of executing trades and that was a significant factor in his thought process.

The Suns are expected to be strong contenders in the Western Conference, but there are some worries. The recent embarrassing defeat to the Mavericks at home was one of the most disappointing performances by a top seed in league history. This season was supposed to be the Suns’ opportunity to elevate their game after showing promise in the 2020 Orlando bubble season and making it to the Finals in 2021, where they fell to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

The quiet offseason has led some fans to abandon the Suns bandwagon. ESPN recently evaluated each team’s moves in free agency, giving high grades to other contenders but only a C-plus to the Suns.

ESPN NBA analyst Kevin Pelton mentioned that it is difficult to determine the Phoenix Suns’ objective in negotiating with restricted free agent Deandre Ayton, even after the talks concluded with the Suns matching an offer sheet from the Indiana Pacers. Pelton also noted that the possibility of Ayton having to decide between a one-year qualifying offer or a non-max multiyear deal seemed plausible before the intervention of the Pacers. Additionally, Pelton pointed out that the Suns may have dodged a bullet as Ayton’s contract was not as player-friendly as it could have been, lacking a player option or trade bonus.

Pelton expressed concern that the Ayton deal could have lasting consequences due to mishandling.

Pelton noted that with Ayton’s expensive contract pushing the Suns into the luxury tax, their subsequent signings were all minimum deals. He particularly liked the addition of Damion Lee, who has proven to be a solid contributor for the Warriors.

The Heat and Suns are gearing up for training camp with a determination to “run it back.” The Warriors are the frontrunners to defend their championship title, with the Mavericks, led by Luka Doncic, closely behind as contenders. Despite being the No. 2 seed last year, the Memphis Grizzlies may still be a year away from being true contenders for the title.

The Suns are a strong contender thanks to their balanced roster of experienced veterans and young talent. While Paul, at 37, is the oldest on the team, the average age of his supporting cast including Ayton, Booker, Mikal Bridges, and Cam Johnson is just 25. Additionally, a healthy Cameron Payne, who missed 24 games last season due to injuries, will provide valuable rest for Paul during the playoffs.

Paul mentioned that there are many young players on our team, and he believes that even the experience gained from last season’s playoffs is beneficial.

Fans are disappointed that the Suns didn’t make any big moves to generate excitement going into the season, but it’s likely not as big of a deal as it seems. The team already has their core players in place and should be able to build on their experience from last season.

Anticipate them being heavily involved in the competitive Western Conference. They are strong contenders and their championship window is far from closing. This team will remain a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.