There is a lot to discuss regarding the Phoenix Suns heading into the 2023-24 season simply because this team is basically brand new. Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Damion Lee, Josh Okogie, and Ish Wainright are the only players still on the Suns, as team president James Jones and new owner Mat Ishbia did the unthinkable by completely overhauling this roster, starting with the acquisition of three-time All-Star Bradley Beal.
For years, Beal always seemed to be the first player league personnel mentioned as the most likely star to request a trade. The Washington Wizards were not, and have not been, going anywhere in terms of moving up the Eastern Conference standings, which is why it just seemed like a matter of time until Beal asked for a trade.
That moment finally came this offseason, as the organization and the star guard decided now would be the best time to split with the Wizards facing a rebuild and Beal recently turning 30 years old. It wasn't too long ago that he averaged over 30 points per game in back-to-back seasons, which is why Beal could very much be the firepower the Suns were missing last season.
Never really playing on the same team as other All-NBA talents and normally being the best scoring option on his team, Beal now finds himself as the third option alongside Booker and Durant. This may just be the best trio we have seen in the NBA in quite some time, as these three stars could wind up averaging over 80 combined points per game during the 2023-24 season. Booker and Durant made things work in their limited time together, which is why they will find success with another star on their team.
“It's amazing to be a part of this,” Beal said during the team's media day at the start of training camp. “This is easily the best team I've ever been a part of. I'm mentally checked in and ready to get going.”
Even though he is 30 years old and has been in the league for 11 seasons now, Beal is still in the prime of his career. While many would tend to think he is near the end of the line, playing on a team that expects to win a championship, instead of one just trying to limp their way to the postseason, is going to inject new energy into Beal every time he takes the court.
Playing for a winning franchise versus playing for a team that is trying to win is a big difference, which is why we should expect another huge, All-Star-like season from Beal.
From the very second Ishbia completed his purchase of the Suns and made a big move to trade for Durant, it became very clear that changes were going to occur in Phoenix this offseason. The Beal trade further cemented this philosophy and so did Monty Williams' departure.
One of the more well-respected coaches in the league and someone whose players really buy into, Williams was fired following four seasons in which he posted a 194-115 record with the Suns. This move came as a shock to many, but it just seemed inevitable that the Suns were going to be making a change on their sideline due to Ishbia's championship craze.
All ended well for both sides though, as Williams got paid by Detroit Pistons and Phoenix hired Frank Vogel, who won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
Vogel, who is no stranger to coaching some of the league's greatest stars stemming from his time with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in Los Angeles, now takes on the challenge of being the one to lead Booker, Durant and Beal to a championship.
Over the last few months, the Suns have been building to only contend for a title. Making the playoffs and possibly going to the Western Conference Finals is not good enough, as everyone within the walls of this organization expects greatness. The moves they made this offseason reflect this mindset, as the Suns are looking to raise their first championship banner.
Suns offseason additions and departures
Notable Additions: G Bradley Beal (trade – WAS), C Jusuf Nurkic (trade – POR), G Eric Gordon (free agency – LAC), C Drew Eubanks (free agency – POR), G Grayson Allen (trade – MIL), G Jordan Goodwin (trade – WAS), F Nassir Little (trade – POR)
Notable Departures: G Chris Paul (trade – WAS, GSW), C Deandre Ayton (trade – POR), C Jock Landale (free agency – HOU), G Cam Payne (trade – SAS/free agency – MIL), F Torrey Craig (free agency – CHI), G Landry Shamet (trade – WAS)
The trade to acquire Bradley Beal was not the only big move the Suns made during the offseason. Looking to revamp their roster and fill the gaps around Beal, Durant, and Booker, Ishbia and the Suns pursued ways to open up flexibility and cap maneuverability by leveraging Deandre Ayton.
Over the years, Ayton grew unhappy with his decreasing role in Phoenix, which led him to sign a $133 million offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers in 2022. Ultimately, the Suns matched this offer and he spent the entire 2022-23 season with Phoenix. All year long, something looked wrong with Ayton, which led to more speculation about his future when the Suns got eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals.
With Beal, Durant, and Booker making over $130 million this season and the team trading virtually all of their draft picks moving forward, the Suns looked to find more ways to add flexibility. Ayton's $32 million contract was viewed as the path to Phoenix achieving this, which is why they added themselves into the Damian Lillard blockbuster trade, sending the former first overall pick to the Portland Trail Blazers.
As a result, the Suns were able to add depth, smaller contracts, and future opportunities with the arrivals of Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, and Nassir Little.
Nurkic is a veteran big man who fits Vogel's style of coaching better than Ayton and Allen is an experienced guard who can play with or without the ball in his hands. He's consistently been amongst the best three-point shooters in the league over the last few seasons.
Little has yet to have a breakout season like the Blazers had anticipated for years, but he is under contract through the 2026-27 season on a moveable contract. It's not hard to believe that he could be a player the organization looks to leverage at some point to save money or add another impact talent that can help them possibly win a title.
While Ayton's departure is still puzzling given his success with the Suns, this team figures to be just fine without him as long as Nurkic can remain healthy. In Portland, the 29-year-old struggled to remain on the floor, though, playing in just about 49 percent of their total games over the last four years. Keeping him fresh and durable are the two main goals the Suns have for Nurkic, which is why they signed Bol Bol from the Orlando Magic and Drew Eubanks, who served as the big man's backup in Portland last season, in free agency.
Bol is still a raw, undefined big man who is looking to fill a key need off the bench in Phoenix's frontcourt. Standing 7'2″ with a 7'8″ wingspan, the 23-year-old could be a diamond in the rough. As for Eubanks, he's a sustainable center that can hold things down as a primary rebounder. That is all the Suns will need of him with their stars able to carry the load offensively.
Eric Gordon ended up being another key name to join this franchise during the summer. Traded from the Houston Rockets to the Los Angeles Clippers last season, Gordon viewed the Suns as an opportunity to potentially win his first championship. At 34 years old, the former Sixth Man of the Year figures to be this team's sixth man, providing Phoenix with a shooting spark in the second unit.
Chris Paul going to the Golden State Warriors and Ayton going to the Blazers are two big changes for this organization, but the Suns are a completely different team than they were last year. New chemistry and new roles exist, which is why their additions outweigh the departures.
Making sense of the Suns' backcourt
It's very clear that Nurkic, Beal, Durant, and Booker will all be starting for the Suns on opening night. Who that fifth starter is and what this team's backcourt projects to look like are two major unknowns that stand in the way of Phoenix making it back to the NBA Finals.
Perhaps the Suns will look to start another forward, as Josh Okogie emerged as a 3-and-D option on the wing who found a lot of success last season. He appears to have the clearest path to being the fifth starter for the Suns. Then again, they could also look to have another guard in their main rotation for more shooting depth. A player like Allen or Gordon would fill this role with ease.
While Okogie appears to be this team's final starter, what should we make of the Suns' backcourt? More importantly, who is their point guard?
Right now, this team doesn't have a point guard. Both Booker and Beal are going to take on more of a facilitating role this season, yet their primary objectives are to score when given the opportunity. Booker is one of the best in the league when it comes to getting to his spots on the floor and Beal has always been highly regarded as one of the better one-on-one scorers.
We cannot forget about Durant out on the wing either. He's not a guard, but Durant is more than confident bringing the ball up and distributing to his teammates. We saw this last season in his limited time with Booker, which is why Vogel will likely use this to his advantage in his schemes.
The real questions about the Suns' backcourt come into play when these stars are taking a break and not on the floor together. Gordon is going to see some minutes as a distributor, as will Jordan Goodwin, who came to Phoenix in the Beal trade.
A key backup in Washington, Goodwin established himself as a reliable and confident playmaker during the 2022-23 season. He's also a pesky on-ball defender, which makes Goodwin a player to watch in terms of earning minutes off the bench early on in the season.
For the Suns to find success this year, they are going to need either Booker or Beal on the court at all times. This team has depth, but they do not have a ton of skill when it comes making plays for others at the point guard position. These two stars understand they have shooters and experienced secondary talents around them, which is why they should be open to the idea of sharing the main point guard responsibilities.
Phoenix and their backcourt duties will be one of the key things to watch entering the new season, especially since they could very well go out at the trade deadline and look to add a true point guard. T.J. McConnell is a player that has long been on the Suns' radar and their interest in him has not disappeared. The Indiana Pacers added Bruce Brown and rookie Ben Sheppard this offseason, which is why McConnell's role could begin to decrease.
It would be tough for them to actually acquire him, but the Suns do have some second-round picks and could look to move either Allen or Little to bring in McConnell. This scenario is something to keep in the back of your mind pertaining to the Suns during the 2023-24 season.
2023-24 season outlook
On paper, the Suns are the team to beat in the Western Conference. Even though the Denver Nuggets are the team coming off of a championship, there is just no way any team will be able to stop or contain Beal, Booker, and Durant. These three stars are too talented and if one of them has a bad night, the other two are more than capable of combining for 80 points on their own.
Phoenix owns more shooting depth than they had a year ago and defensively, they are going to be a lot better than many would imagine. Vogel has always put an emphasis on defensive intensity, which is why they added hard-nosed players for depth.
They have size and they have length, but the one thing the Suns lack is true rim protection. Nurkic is not a shot blocker and while he averaged 1.3 blocks per game a season ago, Eubanks isn't the most athletic big man. Keeping their opponents out of the paint and forcing shots on the perimeter will make the Suns one of the best defensive teams in the league, especially since they have the length to contest jumpers.
We are going to see changes to the Suns' rotations each game based on matchups. From the first guy at the top of the roster to the last guy at the end of the bench, everyone on Phoenix's roster has started in the league before. This is very valuable for a championship-contending team to have, especially since injuries will happen over the course of the 82-game season.
Booker, Beal, and Durant will not be able to go each and every night, which is why players like Gordon, Okogie, Allen, and guys like Keita Bates-Diop and Yuta Watanabe are so important.
The Suns have what they need to win a title. If their stars are healthy entering the playoffs, they will be extremely tough to defeat four times in seven games.
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