Analyst: Suns vs Lakers Among Most Intriguing Games of Season

The rivalry is one of 10 matchups to watch this season, according to B/R.

Feb 25, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) against Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns' 2024-25 regular season schedule was officially released yesterday - and there were several matchups that caught attention of the fan base per usual, but one stands above the rest, at least according to Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report, who placed the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers as one of ten games to watch this season.

It may not be for the reasonings that were expected, however, as Zucker raised questions about the true weight of the matchups this season, at least from the vantage point of being true title contenders.

"This year could feature the least consequential games between LeBron James and Kevin Durant since? Even when they weren't direct rivals in the same conference, James and Durant have played starring roles on title contenders for so long their on-court encounters always felt relevant. Now, we could be approaching a new normal."

- Zucker on meaning of the rivalry

This angle probably has some validity to it, as the Suns were one of only three teams to be swept in the playoffs at any point, while the Lakers were completely dejected yet again in a series against the Denver Nuggets.

The Suns were the sixth seed, while the Lakers utilized the play-in tournament to get the seventh seed - and the West has only become tougher since April.

The Lakers' offseason moves (or lack thereof) has raised some eyebrows over recent months - and the short-term viability of the current arrangement has been frequently discussed, including here.

"The Lakers haven't made any significant upgrades and they're leaning on a first-year head coach (J.J. Redick) who is totally unproven in the role. James made a point to avoid laying out anything specific when addressing his expectations for the team in 2024-25."

- Zucker on Lakers' outlook

While the Lakers will always have a fighting chance with the presence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, there have been serious questions surrounding the supporting cast/overall roster construction that has been molded by GM Rob Pelinka.

Many of the same questions have directly followed the Suns as well, but for different reasons.

"The Suns, meanwhile, had no choice but to basically run it back with the Big Three of Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal despite last year's first-round sweep to the Timberwolves. They had basically no salary cap flexibility, and trading any of their marquee stars would almost certainly make them worse in the short term."

- Zucker on Suns' outlook

The Suns have made more moves to move towards legitimate contention, at least more so than the Lakers. The issue with Phoenix has been that the swing-and-miss nature of the potential home run hits have left them with little flexibility moving forward - they really can't move on from this current core in hopes of continuing to contend in the short term.

The trepidation surrounding the true meaningful nature of this particular matchup coming into the season doesn't necessarily mean these two squads can't be posturing for contention in the future, however, at least according to Zucker.

In the case of both Los Angeles and Phoenix, you can see a path where either makes a deep playoff run with the stars aligning just right. The Lakers and Suns have some glaring flaws, though, and neither is a genuine championship favorite. Like last season, they could instead be battling to see who avoids the play-in tournament.

- Zucker on contending status of teams

The above is true. Both squads possess the high-end talent to be in the contending tier out West if some things go their way - including satisfactory health, coaching concerns being answered, and the star talent continuing to deliver.

If the stars align, the Suns and Lakers could get a much anticipated playoff rematch - four years after the latter got bounced by the former in the first round.

If the stars don't align, the two squads could be duking it out for their playoff lives in a single-game play-in format.

The duality of outcomes could make this matchup all the more intriguing - on top of this potentially being the final season that Kevin Durant and LeBron James - who is in the twilight of his career - ultimately face off.

The first matchup between the two teams this season is set for October 25 in Los Angeles.