If you want to say which team is the worst in the playoffs, the Suns are second, and no team dares to rank first. Although it is not only the Suns who are behind 0-2, there are also Lakers, 76ers, Magic and other teams. But the Lakers played the Nuggets to the end in both games, and G2 only lost by one goal. And the Lakers lost to the defending champions, with Jokic's Nuggets. The 76ers G2 are also one step away from winning, and the final decision is full of controversy, and the 76ers have every chance to return to their home court. The Magic's playoff run this season is already a success, and they have a bright future.
Only the Suns, who lost the first 2 games without temper. What makes the sun even more desperate is that not only do they have no present, but they also have no future. After a big score of 0-2, the probability of the Suns being out of the first round is as high as 93%. In the face of the Timberwolves' suffocating defense, the Suns seemed helpless and could only rely on the Big Three to score on their individual ability. There is no discipline in attack, and there is no defense in defense. Returning home with a 0-2 score, the Suns can be said to be hanging by a thread. Once G3 loses again, the Suns will not have to think about promotion, but whether they can avoid being swept away. In fact, even if the Suns can miraculously turn the tables and advance to the second round, as long as they fail to win the championship, they will be a failure.
Last offseason, the Suns traded for Beal to form the Super Big Three. In order to form the current lineup, the Suns have traded all the first-round picks that can be traded, and the first-round picks that cannot be traded have also traded the swap rights. So for the next seven years, the Suns won't have a first-round pick. Not only the first-round pick, but the Suns even traded multiple second-round picks for the next seven years. According to statistics, the only picks the Suns have in the next seven years are the 2024 Spurs second-round pick (31-49 protected) and the 2028 Celtics second-round pick (31-45 protected). From the moment the Suns chose to overdraft their future, they were doomed to fail as long as they didn't win the championship.
The Suns thought that in exchange for Beal to form a super triumvirate, while Durant was still at his peak, how could they win a championship. As a result, they overestimated the Big Three. It's true that Durant is still in his prime, but Beal is not at his peak. On top of that, the sun sent Paul away, without the organizers. And the Suns' Big Three are all offensive. The combination of Booker and Beal is similar to the Lakers' Reaves + Russell on the defensive end. The Suns thought they could win the championship by stacking superstars, but how could it be so easy to win the championship? The Suns don't want to win the championship now, and it is very likely that they will not be able to pass the first round. And next season, Durant and Beal are both a year older, and the Suns' hopes of winning the championship are even slimmer.
Because there are no first-round picks to trade, there are only 2 second-round picks at the bottom, and the salary space is filled by the Big Three. In the offseason, the only way the Suns can strengthen is through base salary. The Suns are already in shambles, and trying to sign a good helper with a base salary in the offseason is tantamount to a fool's dream. Those veterans who want to realize their dream of a championship will not think about the Sun at all. The lineup can't be strengthened, Durant and Beal are a year older, and it will only get harder and harder for the Suns to win championships in the future.
What makes the Sun even more desperate is that they are not even qualified to rebuild. Beal has three years and $161 million left on his contract, including $50.2 million in '24-25, $53.6 million in '25-26 and $57.1 million in '26-27. As far as Bill's performance this season is concerned, it's not worth a half-fold, let alone an aging Bill. Not only does Beal have a big contract, he also has a trade veto. Soon the Suns will find out that Bill will be their heaviest burden.
In the 20-21 season, the Suns also reached the Finals and once led the Bucks 2-0 in aggregate. Paul is getting older, Booker Ayton Bridges is in his playing years, and draft picks are still there. Why has the sun fallen to this place in just a few years?