By Joel Perez 
Not even 24 hours have passed since the Phoenix Suns lost their 82nd game of the season to
conclude the 2024-2025 regular season, and they’ve already dismissed their head coach—for
the third straight year. The first to go was Monty Williams, fired just three years ago after a
Finals run led by Devin Booker, who had established himself as a premier superstar alongside
Chris Paul, who finally made his first Finals appearance after 16 seasons.
Outside of that elite backcourt, the Suns also had three young players in the lineup—most
notably Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson—who were crucial to the team’s success, bringing
elite spacing and complementary offense. Anchoring the paint was Deandre Ayton, one of the
most promising young bigs in the league and a former No. 1 overall pick.
After losing the 2021 Finals to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Suns ran it back and finished with the
league’s best record at 64-18. They beat the Pelicans 4-2 in the first round, only to get
completely embarrassed by Luka Dončić and the Mavericks in a seven-game meltdown—a
series that arguably sparked the Booker-Luka rivalry.
Even with that loss, Phoenix still looked set for the future. Booker was ascending, the team had
young assets, and CP3 provided veteran leadership… until Matt Ishbia bought the team. On
February 7, 2023, the deal was finalized, and just two days later, the Suns traded for Kevin
Durant and TJ Warren, sending Bridges, Johnson, four unprotected firsts, and a 2028 pick swap
to Brooklyn.
In just 48 hours, Phoenix gave up its young core and most of its draft capital to go all-in on KD.
The move made waves—it’s Kevin Durant, after all—but it left little margin for future growth. The
gamble didn’t pay off, as the Suns were overwhelmed by the eventual champion Denver
Nuggets in the second round. After that, Monty Williams was let go despite having coached the
team to a Finals just two years earlier.
Next came Frank Vogel, a defense-first coach brought in to balance a roster loaded with
offensive firepower in Booker and Durant. Then came another massive move: Chris Paul,
Landry Shamet, four first-round swaps, and six second-rounders were sent to Washington for
Bradley Beal. Beal, still on a $251 million extension with a rare no-trade clause, was viewed as
a big risk—injury-prone and lacking deep playoff experience.
The KD trade had already raised eyebrows, but the Beal trade sent the Suns into full-blown “2K
mode.” All-in. No flexibility. No safety net. And predictably, injuries hit hard. Still, Phoenix won 49
games and earned the sixth seed, only to get swept by Anthony Edwards and the
Timberwolves.
Like clockwork, another postseason failure led to another coaching change. Vogel was out, and
in came Mike Budenholzer—the coach who beat them in the 2021 Finals. Bud, known for his
offensive structure, was now tasked with saving a top-heavy, asset-stripped roster.
Despite limited resources, the Suns made a couple solid moves. They signed Tyus Jones to a
tax mid-level deal—an ideal backup (or starting) point guard after a strong stint with Memphis—and traded for Nick Richards, a young big man who gave them much-needed interior
presence. These were smart, budget-friendly additions around the “Big Three.”
Expectations were still relatively high heading into this season. But the results? Brutal. The
Suns finished 36-46, missed the Play-In, and once again fired their head coach at season’s end.
And now, trade rumors surrounding Kevin Durant are swirling, with dysfunction continuing to
define the Ishbia era.
The worst part? This season wasn’t even marred by injuries. The Suns were mostly healthy. The
product was just bad basketball.
They’re now stuck with no draft assets, few young pieces, and one of the league’s worst salary
cap situations. A KD trade might replenish a little value, and they’ll have to pray someone is
willing to take Beal and his contract. But the franchise is in limbo—three coaches in three years,
no direction, no clear plan.
The only constant is Devin Booker, and Suns fans can only hope he sticks around. Because if
Phoenix somehow includes him in a reset… this could get even uglier.
Kevin Gonzalez