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For the last several seasons, the Phoenix Suns have been in “championship-or-bust” mode. From the decision to acquire Chris Paul during the summer of 2020 to, more recently, the execution of the midseason blockbuster to land Kevin Durant, the Valley of the Sun has had its eyes set on the Larry O'Brien trophy for some time now.
Unfortunately for them, all they've had to show for their efforts to this point has been one NBA Finals appearance, two consecutive second-round exits, and an unceremonious ouster of head coach, Monty Williams.
Now, heading into the 2023 offseason, Phoenix is looking to finally put together the pieces necessary to bring home its first title in franchise history. However, in order for them to accomplish such a task, James Jones and company will likely need to try and make three key fixes for the club.
Phoenix Suns fix No. 3) Find the right coach
This first necessary fix mentioned may be the most obvious for the Phoenix Suns heading into the offseason, but it is oh-so vital for them to get right.
Finding the answer to their current vacancy is not as simple as pursuing the best coach available. After all, over the last four seasons the team was led by one of the best sideline basketball minds in the game in Monty Williams, and they still fell short of achieving their ultimate goals.
Fit for the stars on the roster should be viewed as far more vital than name recognition and past successes when it comes to the Suns' coaching search.
Doc Rivers is a former NBA Coach of the Year winner who guided the Boston Celtics to their 17 title in franchise history back in 2008, though he did so with an incredibly stacked roster headlined by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo while only appearing in two NBA Finals with such a collection of talent during his tenure and hasn't made it out of the second round in over a decade despite constantly rolling out top-notch rosters.
Mike D'Antoni is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year who helped spearhead the charge for the current style in which the game is played, yet his high-octane offensive approach and rapid pace of play would literally destroy guys like Chris Paul and Kevin Durant.
The hunt for a new head coach for Phoenix must be well prepared for and is one that must take their players' skill sets and physical form strongly into consideration. Though the allure of chasing a well-known name to succeed Monty Williams may be incredibly enticing, their decision cannot be influenced by what might draw the most headlines.
Phoenix Suns fix No. 2) Bring on veteran backcourt help
Despite the fact that Kevin Durant was amid his first go-around with the organization, perhaps the most buzzed-about talking point during the Suns' latest postseason run was the lacking health and availability of veteran guard Chris Paul, who strained his groin in just the second game of their semifinals series against the Denver Nuggets and, ultimately, never made his way back to the hardwood.
Unfortunately for Phoenix, with Paul's absence, the club had no real reliable point guard presence to lean on which, in turn, severely impacted their level of play.
It is because of this that the front office must look to address their lacking collection of experienced guard depth by pursuing some trusty veterans with their mid-level exception and/ or veteran's minimum.
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This summer, there are several names that could be had on the open market, with guys like D.J. Augustin (UFA), Reggie Jackson (UFA), and Derrick Rose (Club) all being worthy of consideration, the latter of whom has already been viewed as a player of interest by the Suns if ever available.
Though there have been rumblings that suggest Phoenix is interested in moving on from Chris Paul this offseason, considering his age, injury history, and lofty price tag it's growing more likely by the day that he'll remain with the franchise heading into 2023-24.
Because of this, easily one of their most important goals this offseason is to find a reliable and experienced backup option to have stationed behind Paul on the depth chart.
Phoenix Suns fix No. 1) Fill out the roster
Without a doubt, the biggest move made during the 2022-23 campaign was the monster deadline deal that sent Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets to the Suns. However, while the move made Phoenix a polarizing and highly talented team from a top-end perspective, said move completely gutted the depth that they spent several years cultivating.
This lacking quality was on full display during their recent two-round playoff excursion, as head coach Monty Williams was forced to heavily ride the foursome of Durant, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and, until his injury, Chris Paul, though, particularly KD and Booker who boasted the two highest minutes per game averages during the playoffs.
Because of this, perhaps the most important task of the summer will be for James Jones to do everything in his power to fill out the rotation, particularly within the second unit.
Now, accomplishing such a feat is bound to be incredibly difficult considering they have the seventh-lowest available cap space. However, there are still ways in which the front office can make the necessary adjustments to bolster the team's depth, with perhaps the most impactful method being via the trade market.
Already it has been rumored that the Suns are open to offloading their soon-to-be sixth-year center Deandre Ayton and the remaining three years of his $132.9 million contract. Should they wind up pulling the trigger on any sort of move, in doing so, they could manage to bring aboard extra helping hands in exchange for his services, with a deal such as the one Bleach Report's Zach Buckley recently proposed serving as one of the more ideal hypothetical scenarios.
So long as they hold onto the likes of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the Suns should be willing to do just about anything to strengthen the depth on their roster that, in many ways, plagued them during this year's playoff run.
