Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia has truly gone all-in on his pursuit of a championship. In making trades for Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, Ishbia agreed to part with all of the Suns' tradeable draft assets and pay an exorbitant luxury tax bill.

Acquiring Durant at the 2023 NBA trade deadline wasn't a controversial move. Still viewed by many to be the best player in basketball, Durant quickly made the Suns the betting favorites in the Western Conference. The Bradley Beal trade was a much more debated move.

The Suns' lack of depth was glaring when they were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs. Instead of turning Chris Paul into a pair of rotation players, Ishbia approved a trade for Beal that will force Phoenix to rely even more on its top players.

Only the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers are projected to have a bigger payroll than the Suns for the 2023-2024 NBA season. It's a price that Ishbia seems more than willing to pay.

“We are going to win at everything we do,” Ishbia told ESPN recently on a videoconference call. “I don't believe you accomplish anything by being average. That's not who I am.”

The Suns' top-tier talent ranks among the best in recent NBA history. Aside from the Durant-led Warriors and LeBron James' Miami Heat teams, Phoenix's “Big 3” takes a backseat to no one. Devin Booker was even better than Durant during the Suns' 2023 playoff run. Beal goes from being the Washington Wizards' best player to Phoenix's No. 3 option.

“I love where we are right now,” Suns President of Basketball Operations James Jones said. “We're talking about forming the best team in the NBA.”

It remains to be seen if the Suns' roster features enough balance to challenge the Nuggets and other top contenders in the West.