When mortgage lender Matt Ishbia bought the Suns for a whopping $4 billion in late 2022, he promised that a championship would always be the ultimate goal. They were a year and a half removed from coming to within two games of claiming the hardware, and looked to book a finals appearance anew despite seemingly having taken a step back. So he pulled the trigger on a deal that had him casting moist eyes on the Larry O鈥橞rien Trophy: He acquired all-time-great Kevin Durant from the Nets at the trade deadline, never mind the plethora of assets he had to give up in the process. And when that yielded yet another conference semifinals exit, he once again went big and got three-time All-Star Bradley Beal vice significant draft capital. Counting resident marquee name Devin Booker, he felt he had a Big Three that could take the measure of the best in the National Basketball Association.
Considering how the Suns crashed out of the 2024 Playoffs, however, it鈥檚 clear that Ishbia did not just fail to make good on his pledge. He crashed out spectacularly. Despite the top-heavy talent, the purple and orange found themselves being swept in the first round by the determined Timberwolves. And as he surveyed the landscape, he understood that even more change should be entertained for a deep postseason run to be at all possible. Because, as the disappointing exit proves, whatever he has previously thumbed up with pride isn鈥檛 working.
Not that Ishbia didn鈥檛 have cause to wax optimistic at the Suns鈥 prospects heading into the 2023-24 season. Unfortunately, Durant, Booker, and Beal never got to play together enough to establish lasting esprit de corps, what with injuries derailing their potency. What鈥檚 more, head coach Frank Vogel could not, for some reason, coax his charges to reach their potential. Perhaps it鈥檚 a lack of appreciation for the skill sets of the personnel at hand. Perhaps it鈥檚 their reluctance to work within the prevailing system. Or perhaps it鈥檚 both, leading to tumult in the locker room.
Ishbia may have deep pockets, but there鈥檚 no reason for him to foot a humongous bill for the Suns鈥 2024-25 campaign if all they will be doing is scrapping and clawing merely to secure a playoff berth. Between Durant, Booker, and Beal, he will be forking over some $150 million 鈥 already more than the salary cap. Which means that he and general manager James Jones need to put on their thinking caps and find a solution 鈥 any solution 鈥 to their woes. Else, all the big names on their marquee will once more fall with a resounding thud.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since 大象传媒 introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
