The Phoenix Suns are expected to be championship contenders with a superstar trio with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

More than one-third of the way through the 2023-24 NBA regular season, Phoenix has had those players on the floor for one full game. The Suns, who have the fourth-best odds to win the title per FanDuel, are 14-14 and 11th in the Western Conference.

The Suns' frustrations are starting to become publicized. Phoenix guard Eric Gordon said after the team's 120-105 loss to the Sacramento Kings he wants more shot attempts. Gordon had just two in the game and seven in the Suns' 109-104 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday.

Monday, before the Suns face the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said the team is feeling frustration from Durant, who is still playing at an elite level. Durant was traded to the Suns for beloved forwards Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder, along with draft capital, in February with the expectation to push the Suns to their first-ever NBA championship.

Via ESPN:

“You talk to people in Phoenix and around that organization, they can feel the frustration with Durant.

“Part of that certainly is the missed games for Brad Beal (Beal has only played six games due to a back issue stemming from training camp and is now out with a right ankle sprain). This team was built around those three stars, the underwhelming supporting cast that comes from those trades for Durant and Bradley Beal gutted the organization and left them having to sign a lot of minimum players…they lack the assets, the draft picks, the trade capital to really go out and improve this team. This is something they're going to have to manage with Kevin Durant in Phoenix…

The Suns just last month appeared to be on a positive trajectory. Phoenix won seven straight games when it returned Booker, who is the team's defacto point guard, and had the best offensive rating in the league during the stretch.

The Suns have long been without Beal, who returned Dec. 13 from a back issue only to suffer an ankle injury Dec. 15 in the Suns' 139-122 loss to the New York Knicks, and have had to force role players into bigger roles.

Phoenix has stressed it is being patient and is positive in its locker room. But in the last three days, Gordon's frustration about shot attempts and now Durant's reported anger is being publicized.

Durant after the Knicks loss seemed to express disappointment he did not get more shots in the game. The Suns have often gone away from Durant for prolonged stretches even though he is averaging the third-most points (30.9) in the NBA this year.

Durant seemed to be frustrated the Suns did not go to him more in the Knicks game, when New York guard Jalen Brunson had 50 points on a whopping 9-of-9 mark from three.

“But they all support him, they put in sets for him, they run plays for him,” Durant said. “When he gets hot, they continue to get him the ball, so tonight was one of those nights for him.”

The Suns have Booker and Durant healthy for Monday's game against the Mavericks. Dallas notoriously blew out the Suns in Game 7 of the 2022 Western Conference semifinals, 123-90, opening up discussion for Phoenix to blow up a core with Booker, former point guard Chris Paul, Bridges, Johnson and starting center Deandre Alton and make moves.

Phoenix has since traded for Durant and Beal, but the team is yet to see its investments pay off with wins.

“It is a stark reminder and how short of a window and how this team has to win big, and they have to win quickly based on how it was constructed,” Wojnarowski said. “And having Kevin Durant still playing at an All-NBA level and a healthy Kevin Durant, there's a lot at stake for this organization. It's got to change soon.”