Last Week's Games
Mon, Dec 25th vs Dallas 128-114 LOSS
Wed, Dec 27th @ Houston 129-113 WIN!
Fri, Dec 29th vs Charlotte 133-119 WIN!
Sun, Dec 31st vs Orlando 112-107 WIN!
This Week's Games
Mon, Jan 1st vs Portland 9:00PM EST on SUNS LIVE, ARIZONA'S FAMILY 3TV / ARIZONA'S FAMILY SPORTS
Weds, Jan 3rd vs LA Clippers 9:00PM EST on SUNS LIVE, ARIZONA'S FAMILY 3TV / ARIZONA'S FAMILY SPORTS
Fri, Jan 5th vs Miami 9:00PM EST on SUNS LIVE, ARIZONA'S FAMILY 3TV / ARIZONA'S FAMILY SPORTS
Sun, Jan 7th @ Memphis 8:00PM EST on SUNS LIVE, ARIZONA'S FAMILY 3TV / ARIZONA'S FAMILY SPORTS
17. Phoenix Suns (+2)
2023-24 Record: 17-15, Upcoming schedule: vs. POR (1/1), vs. LAC (1/3), vs. MIA (1/5), vs. MEM (1/7)
Bradley Beal is finally back for the Phoenix Suns. How this impacts the team moving forward is yet to be known. A win over the Hornets doesn't really say much, nor does a win against the Magic on New Year's Eve. Even though the Magic are a really solid team, it was New Year's Eve and neither team really wanted to be playing.
The Suns still have a lot to figure out pertaining to their offensive identity, because standing around and letting both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant play in isolation will only win so many games. The fact of the matter is that the Suns are not the brute force we expected them to be when the season began. Moving forward, Phoenix has plenty of time to change this assessment.
With their three stars healthy, the Suns have the capability to rattle off four straight wins this upcoming week and move up the NBA Power Rankings in a similar way that the Clippers did over the last few weeks. Until they prove to be strong on both sides of the ball though, it's hard to trust the Suns right now.
Beal has breathed some new life into the team. No doubt they will be able to score. The question is can they play defense? Turnovers were a real problem early on. It seems they are starting to cut those down. Having all your players available certainly helps.
Here are some of the latest trade rumors involving the Suns (compiled by the Arizona Republic)
Bleacher Report: Goga Bitadze, Monte Morris, T.J. McConnell best trade targets for Suns
Zach Buckley writes: "Phoenix can merely hope for marginal upgrades, and those could be focused at the point guard and center spots—not the natural positions of Durant, Beal and Devin Booker. The Suns need to supplement their stars, and they could do it with an interior anchor like Bitadze or a pass-first floor general like Morris or McConnell. Bitadze might have the best chance of the three to step into a sizable role, as he can control the painted area and sometimes score away from it. Morris and McConnell would both thrive in quarterbacking roles if they could score enough to keep opposing defenses honest."
T.J. McConnell has long been rumored as a trade option for the Suns. Could Phoenix finally trade for the point guard before the 2024 NBA trade deadline?
FanSided: Suns have assets to trade for Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond
Luke Duffy writes: "As good as Drummond's rebounding numbers have been this season - and they really have been something special - he is still a limited player and a known quantity in the league. He is on his sixth team and although his value has risen some since the start of the season, he is not a fit with many teams in the league. He's averaging seven points per game this season and doesn't shoot free throws. Shooting 56.3 percent from the free-throw line is also a number that isn't going to appeal to many, but the offensive abilities of the Suns make them one of the few teams who could absorb Drummond's style of play. This is a player the Suns have to seriously look at, because he could answer a lot of their problems."
Clutch Points: Suns predicted to trade Nassir Little for point guard help
Jedd Pagaduan writes: "Head coach Frank Vogel doesn't trust Little with a prominent role in the rotation, which doesn't appear to be the most optimal use of resources for a Suns team that doesn't have too many ways to improve the roster given their dearth of assets. All the Suns have are five second-round picks to trade; that won't be enough to acquire any needle-moving piece, especially when they don't have salary-matching assets as well. But packaging a second-round pick with Little to acquire, say, a Delon Wright-type point guard — a low-usage, defensive-minded player who excels as a glue guy — could give the team more roster balance and someone who can be a solid defender for the Suns at the point of attack."
Sports Illustrated: Tyus Jones could be trade option for Suns
Donnie Druin writes: "A backup point guard has been on the menu for Phoenix, as Jordan Goodwin has fallen from the good graces of the coaching staff as of late, and there's no optimism Saben Lee can be a focal point of the rotation once the postseason hits. There are reports Washington Wizards guard Tyus Jones is up for sale - that could potentially be a good piece for Phoenix."
FanSided: Suns might be bidding for Jalen McDaniels, Danilo Gallinari, Isaiah Stewart, Kelly Olynyk
Ian Levy writes: "The Warriors, Lakers and Suns could all use a player in Gallinari's mold and, at $6.8 million per season each of them could put the pieces together to match salary, perhaps throw in a couple of second-round picks to make it worth it for the Wizards and not have to worry much about him being a one-year rental who will hit free agency this summer.
GoPHNX.com: T.J. McConnell, Monte Morris among Suns' ambitious trade options
Gerald Bourguet writes: The Suns are unlikely to find a starting-caliber point guard to ease the load on Point Book. But at the very least, McConnell is a trustworthy, low-turnover floor general who can run the show off the bench, facilitate with the second unit and defend with some verve on the other end. So far this season, he’s averaging 8.0 points and 5.1 assists a night on 52.2 percent shooting. Morris hasn’t played yet this season due to a quad strain, and he’s not due for re-evaluation for another couple of weeks. But that could help lower his trade value, and no one should forget it wasn’t long ago that he was one of the best backup point guards in the NBA."
FanSided: P.J. Tucker could be an option for Phoenix Suns
Ianb Levy writes: "For the Suns, a deal would probably have to be Nassir Little, Bol Bol and Keita Bates-Diop with a future pick attached. It's not clear that either of those last two offers would be enough for the Clippers or, in the case of the Suns, be a clear upgrade. But both teams will at least need to sniff around."
Sports Illustrated: Suns should trade for Tyus Jones
Kevin Hicks writes: "While the Suns may not 'need' a traditional point, it once again is worthwhile to gauge all options. Jones is as steady as they come when it comes to supporting guard play, averaging 12.5 PPG and 5.4 APG in 31 games thus far (both on pace to be career-bests) all while boasting efficient shooting splits."
Tyus Jones would be an absolute game-changer for us. TJ McConnell would also be a big help. I'd take Monte Morris too, depending on the assets we gave out for him. I don't like a lot of the other options, especially guys who can't shoot. Drummond in particular seems like a guy you can't really play in a playoff game due to the horrible FTs. PJ Tucker is completely washed at this point; do not want. Not sure we need any of the miscellaneous forwards listed in the FanSided article.
It doesn't make sense to me to trade for and pay a $15M salary for Tyus Jones when he doesn't fit into a crunch time lineup. Jones, Booker and Beal together is just way too small on the perimeter. Same case for TJ although he'd be easier to acquire and stomach the salary for a bench player.
Most importantly, the Suns need to get bigger, not smaller. I just wish Little and KBD had the impact we'd expected from them because they fit the type of player that's missing from the rotation.
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Vogel still doesn't seem to be getting what he wants from the role players, which is concerning. We should be settled into a rotation by now, regardless of which of the big 3 are playing.
It doesn't make sense to me to trade for and pay a $15M salary for Tyus Jones when he doesn't fit into a crunch time lineup. Jones, Booker and Beal together is just way too small on the perimeter. Same case for TJ although he'd be easier to acquire and stomach the salary for a bench player.
Most importantly, the Suns need to get bigger, not smaller. I just wish Little and KBD had the impact we'd expected from them because they fit the type of player that's missing from the rotation.
We have a big hole that 4/3 spot that's glaring when KD is out. Someone who can switch around backing up KD or playing next to him. I'd still hate to give up Allen or Little in any deal. Little is maybe more expendable if he's not playing but I'd like to keep him around.
Vogel still doesn't seem to be getting what he wants from the role players, which is concerning. We should be settled into a rotation by now, regardless of which of the big 3 are playing.
I still don't think it's the players fault. When one or 2 are performing worse than they did for other teams could be their fault. But when the entire bench is not playing as well as they already did, they are not being used to favour their strenghts.
I think KBD and Eewwbanks could regress because their best was playing for Popovich (and nobody seems to get more from role players than him), but the rest of them?
I really like Little. I wouldn't want to just throw him into some trade. Every time he plays I feel like he gives us something good, often by attacking the basket and being willing to absorb contact. Some nights his shooting helps, too, but that's more inconsistent. I think a lot of our pains right now are caused by KBD not delivering much all year. If we could depend on him as a backup and sometimes starting forward, we'd be in such better shape. As it is we sometimes have to roll out weird frontcourt bench lineups like Eubanks/Bol (ick!!) or play too many tweener forwards at once.
Little and our TPE are really our only trade options if we’re planning to bring back any sort of salary. I assume Grayson Allen is untouchable at this point unless we’re getting a major piece of the rotation.
Jalen McDaniels has been bad for Toronto, but his contract fits in our TPE and he’s got the type of size and length on the wing that we need. Better athlete than KBD. Gallinari is probably washed but he probably come cheap.
I’d take Monte Morris, but I don’t think I’d trade for him. He’d be a buyout guy for me. Not really interested in trading for TJ either. Tyus is a no because you have to trade Grayson to have the salary. Goga Bitadze is interesting but I’m not sure why Orlando would move him.
I really like Little. I wouldn't want to just throw him into some trade. Every time he plays I feel like he gives us something good, often by attacking the basket and being willing to absorb contact. Some nights his shooting helps, too, but that's more inconsistent. I think a lot of our pains right now are caused by KBD not delivering much all year. If we could depend on him as a backup and sometimes starting forward, we'd be in such better shape. As it is we sometimes have to roll out weird frontcourt bench lineups like Eubanks/Bol (ick!!) or play too many tweener forwards at once.
Little after a slow start to the year was doing much better until he got hurt. I hope his knee issue isn’t serious but it doesn’t sound promising.
KBD, Yuta, and Ewwbanks have been complete disappointments.
Goodwin -‘didn’t expect much, got about what we expected which is Shaq Harrison 2.0.
Metu has been a pleasant surprise offensively- more than anything he is confident unlike plain fat free yogurt duo of Yuta and KBD.
Thick Dick is a solid 3rd center. Who knows about Bol.
