Suns Must Answer This Question

The Phoenix Suns' most pressing question is this, according to B/R.

Oct 2, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1), forward Kevin Durant (35) and guard Bradley Beal (3) pose for a portrait during media day at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- With just over two months to go until the opening of training camp, the Phoenix Suns have largely completed the assembling of both a new coaching staff and a roster with some minor tweaks.

Despite the moves, many questions surrounding the team remain - are Kevin Durant's days in Phoenix numbered? Can coach Mike Budenholzer truly unlock another level of this roster? How will Devin Booker respond to the critics?

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report selected the question that has been at the forefront of discourse this offseason that has a bit to do with everything that currently plagues this franchise - does the high-prices trio actually have potential to rise out of a massively disappointing playoff exit?

"In their first season together, the trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal got swept in the first round of the 2024 playoffs.

"All three are back for 2024-25, and between their payroll and luxury-tax bill, the Phoenix Suns are on track to cost nearly $400 million this season alone. That's a heck of a price to pay for a team that might not be a real championship contender.

"Barring a trade of either Durant or Booker, the Suns don't have many easy ways out, either. Phoenix might have to try to this again, even with the amount of offensive overlap between the stars and the lack of defense they provide.

"In the NBA, raw talent is often enough to stack up some wins. That'll probably be the case with these Suns. But they'll have to show a lot more cohesion over the first few months of the season to be taken seriously against teams like the Timberwolves, Thunder and Nuggets."

- Bailey on Suns' Big 3

The concerns are very valid - in today's NBA the emphasis is much more on strategic drafting, quality asset management, and having a general preference for homegrown stars.

Booker is the only homegrown star Phoenix currently has - and the vast majority of the supporting cast were acquired in free agency/through trades.

While things seem bleak currently, it also could be a worthy bet to bank on another year of the core being together coupled with a surrounding roster that fits much better and a coach that can seemingly get the most out of his teams.

Ultimately, this upcoming year will likely prove to be make-or-break for this experiment that was created by Ishbia with the idea that three offensive juggernauts would be enough to get the best out of fellow contenders in the West such as the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and others that rely more on wing/big play.