Analyst: Suns Were Humbled Last Season

The Phoenix Suns fell short of expectations last season.

Apr 12, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) and guard Devin Booker (1) and guard Bradley Beal (3) and forward Royce O'Neale (00) and forward Kevin Durant (35) huddle up before the final seconds of the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images / Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns hope to reverse course from their finish to the 2023-24 season.

It wasn't an awful campaign, as the Suns reached 49 wins and avoided the league's play-in tournament as the No. 6 seed.

However, a season's worth of frustration and tension boiled over in Phoenix's first-round exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves - an experience that was humbling for the team.

"Armed with the priciest trio in the league, the Suns came up well short of the goal. A lack of depth and defensive issues prevented the club from winning 50 games and took its toll in the first round of the playoffs when the Minnesota Timberwolves swept the Suns," wrote NBA.com's Shaun Powell.

"It was a humbling experience for Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal and for new owner Mat Ishbia, who figured star power would prevail. Durant and Booker were solid as both averaged 27.1 points per game in 2023-24. Beal dealt with injuries, steep expectations and struggled to be efficient as a ball-handler, too."

How far can the Suns go, according to Powell?

"Once again there will be a heap of responsibility on three players, and at least two of them will likely be up to the challenge. Durant and Booker are great (the Olympics confirmed that) and reliable. Assuming good health, both should contend for All-Star and All-NBA spots," he wrote.

"Then it’s up to Beal to bounce back with a consistent and high-level season. If that’s the case, the Suns will be in the contender mix, even with a considerable drop-off in talent outside the three-man core. One way or another, Phoenix will either prove that super-teams still work, or are slowly being phased out in favor of balanced and well-constructed alternatives."

Championship aspirations are again high in Phoenix.