Before the 2023–24 NBA season, many people thought that the Phoenix Suns would become a strong candidate in the Western Conference for the title. But that didn’t really happen. During the regular season and then in the NBA Playoffs, the Suns were one of the biggest failures in the league.
The Suns had a very poor end to the season, even though their first-round playoff series loss may not seem as bad at the moment given how easy the Minnesota Timberwolves have been against the defending NBA Champions. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal should never lose in the first round of the playoffs, let alone get swept out.
That being said, that’s exactly how the Suns’ season finished. As we quickly near the start of the offseason, the Suns are in a tough spot. Phoenix needs to improve their team before the start of the next season, but they don’t have a lot of salary cap space or tradeable goods to work with.
That might not be possible, or at least hard. But at least their first plan for the summer has been made public. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the original plan for the Suns is to not break up their big 3 of KD, Beal, and Booker. Instead of making a big move to shake up the roster, Phoenix plans to rely on small tweaks that could lead to internal development and improvement.
That could also include a new head coach, as the Suns have yet to decide whether they will keep Frank Vogel or move on from him.
Is there a path toward the Phoenix Suns being successful next season?
Looking at the landscape of the Western Conference at the time, it’s not outlandish to think that the Suns could be better next season. Continuity does make a difference, and we must remember that Beal missed a good part of the regular season, and KD has barely been in Phoenix for one calendar year. A full summer of the big 3 together wouldn’t hurt.
That said, there’s no predicting how the rest of the West is going to work during the offseason. You’d think the Los Angeles Lakers will attempt to improve their roster, as will the Denver Nuggets. And it doesn’t look as if the Minnesota Timberwolves or Oklahoma City Thunder are going anywhere.
The Suns will have their work cut out for them in the West, but there is a road toward contention. At least originally, Phoenix is going to continue to trust their process. Looking at their alternative road forward, this is likely one that makes the most sense for the moment.
