There aren’t many NBA teams that have been more disappointing than the Phoenix Suns this season. They are the second-most expensive team in the NBA but are only 10th in the West with a 21-21 record. Their experiment consisting of the trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal hasn’t worked. If the team desires to elevate into a true title contender a change has to happen. Former Clippers star Lou Williams believes the Suns will need to have a big trade deadline to rise in the rankings.
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Williams took to FanDuel TV’s Run It Back to discuss the Suns’ struggles following their 118-92 blowout loss to the Cavaliers. Despite having a boatload of talent, the pieces don’t fit together. If they don’t make changes, they’re in for a long second half of the season. He said,
“Just not a very good basketball team. I’ve been holding out hope for the Suns for a season and a half. They have all the scoring in the world, but haven’t been able to figure it out… I expect them to be active come the end of this month in February.”
"Just not a very good basketball team. I've been holding out hope for the Suns for a season and a half…they have all the scoring in the world, but haven't been able to figure it out." 😐@TeamLou23 expects Phoenix to change up their "bad mix of talent" at the trade deadline pic.twitter.com/lsFlpj0w7l
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 21, 2025
Since reaching the NBA Finals in 2021, they have not been able to achieve the same level of success. Williams blames this on a bad mix of talent. He believes there are great individual players on the Suns roster but their play styles don’t mesh together.
Phoenix is a .500 team currently but Williams doesn’t believe that is their ceiling. Instead, he still holds on to a sliver of faith that the team has a chance to be better.
There is hope for the Suns
Although the Suns are currently 10th, they are only two games behind the Lakers for the sixth seed. The teams standing between them and the Lakers are the Timberwolves, Kings, and Mavericks. Unfortunately for the Suns, they were well ahead of the Kings at one point, but their recent stretch of success has catapulted them ahead of Phoenix.
However, due to Luka Doncic’s injury, the Suns can capitalize on the Mavericks’ struggles. None of this matters if the Suns are unable to win games. In theory, reaching the seventh seed seems like an attainable feat. But with the way the Suns are playing, it will be extremely difficult.
A change to the roster will be needed ahead of the February 6 trade deadline.
