Is it time for the Suns to sit Devin Booker and Bradley Beal?
Is it time for the Suns to sit Devin Booker and Bradley Beal?
Phoenix Suns v Dallas Mavericks
I feel like the poor electrician outside Nakatomi Tower on Christmas Eve, 1988. Just a blue-collar guy with a clipboard and a conscience, dragged into a chaotic opera of egos and explosions. The FBI is barking in my ear, frothing at the mouth, demanding I cut the power — the whole city grid — because some suit with a badge thinks it'll solve everything.
Advertisement
And as I sit here, staring down the barrel of the Phoenix Suns' final two games, I can hear his voice echoing through the hollow caverns of my basketball soul.
'Shut it down. Shut it down now!'
The Phoenix Suns' season, for all intents and purposes, is over. Their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder last night sealed the fate of their campaign, ensuring they won't make an appearance in the Play-In Tournament, let alone the playoffs.
With two games remaining, what's the point? What's the point of sending Devin Booker out there to keep grinding? Why have Bradley Beal bother to push through another lackluster performance?
Advertisement
There's nothing left to play for. No All-NBA spots to vie for, no playoff berth to chase. It's just pride now. And frankly, that's something this team has struggled to show all season. The fire's been missing, the heart has wilted, and now all that's left is the bitter taste of what could have been.
As the final two games slip off the calendar, Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer might as well slap a DNP next to Devin Booker and Bradley Beal's names. No reason to risk Devin getting hurt before the summer break. And with Beal's injury history, the risk of him taking a step too far seems all but inevitable.
Call it what it is. Like the poor electrician outside Nakatomi Tower, I'm yelling into the void: 'Shut it down!'
Listen to the latest podcast episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. Stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, Castbox.
Please subscribe, rate, and review.
Advertisement
More from brightsideofthesun.com:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
NBA rumors: Knicks expected to make Jason Kidd request after Tom Thibodeau firing
The post NBA rumors: Knicks expected to make Jason Kidd request after Tom Thibodeau firing appeared first on ClutchPoints. The New York Knicks have been linked to Jason Kidd ever since they parted ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau. Could the Dallas Mavericks current head coach end up in New York next season? Although the possibility of Kidd leaving the Mavs this summer still seems unlikely, NBA insider Marc Stein reports that the Knicks are expected to request permission from the Mavs to interview him. Advertisement 'The New York Knicks are expected to formally request permission to speak to the Dallas Mavericks' Jason Kidd about their coaching vacancy in coming days, league sources say,' Stein wrote for The Stein Line. A Jason Kidd-led trade between the Mavericks and Knicks is technically possible. Coach trades have happened in the past. However, the chances of Dallas moving on from the head coach still appear to be slim. The Mavs, of course, traded Luka Doncic away in February. The move brought immense change to the entire franchise. Dallas would create another massive ripple effect by changing head coaches this summer. It remains to be seen if the Mavericks will entertain the Knicks' expected request. A number of potential candidates have already been mentioned as possible options for New York, but it certainly appears as if Jason Kidd is on the team's radar. Advertisement The Knicks are fresh off an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. New York should be able to compete at a high level once again during the 2025-26 campaign. Finding their next head coach is the franchise's current goal, though. Kidd has led Dallas to the Western Conference Finals twice and the NBA Finals once during his time with the Mavs. He managed to lead the team to the NBA Play-In Tournament this past season despite Dallas' plethora of injuries and the Doncic trade. It is worth mentioning that Kidd landed a multi-year contract extension with the Mavericks in 2024. With Kidd still under contract, trying to convince him to leave Dallas will prove to be a challenge. The Knicks' rumored potential pursuit of Jason Kidd will be a situation to closely monitor. Kidd is probably going to end up staying in Dallas for the 2025-26 season, but anything can happen. Related: Knicks rumors: How player input factored into New York's decision to fire Tom Thibodeau Related: Bill Simmons questions the role Jalen Brunson's dad will play in Knicks' HC search
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Stephen A. Smith ranks Rockets as No. 2 trade spot for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant
All-Star forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo (of the Milwaukee Bucks) and Kevin Durant (of the Phoenix Suns) have been rumored as trade possibilities in the 2025 offseason, and the Houston Rockets are among the potential suitors. As of Monday, it remains unclear when or if either will be dealt. But if one or both ultimately hit the market, longtime ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith likes the Rockets as a fit. In ranking the top-five destinations for both players on Monday's First Take, Smith had the Rockets at No. 2 for both stars. We understand Jalen Green just ain't ready, and he ain't got that kind of perimeter game. Consistency, that's what you need if you're Ime Udoka. Giannis in Houston, that locomotive coming at you with those pieces? (Alperen) Sengun, Fred VanVleet, and those boys? Oh yes, Houston would be no joke. The only team Smith listed ahead of the Rockets is the Knicks, who he happens to be a diehard fan of. So, there could be some wishful thinking involved there. Because New York traded away most of its future draft capital last offseason in a deal for Mikal Bridges, Houston would seem to be better positioned from an asset perspective to make a big trade in 2025. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle Interestingly enough, Smith didn't have the San Antonio Spurs — Houston's in-state, divisional rival — as a top-five destination for either Antetokounmpo or Durant. Betting markets have consistently ranked the Spurs as among the favorites for both players, so Smith's evaluation of the market could perhaps be a favorable indicator for the Rockets. All-Star players typically have at least some say in their destinations, since suitors aren't likely to pay premium trade value if they aren't convinced of the superstar's desire to stick around beyond his current contract.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bill Simmons Has Suns, Spurs Kevin Durant Hypothesis Before NBA Offseason
Bill Simmons Has Suns, Spurs Kevin Durant Hypothesis Before NBA Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the NBA Finals continue between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, the rest of the league is preparing for a pivotal offseason. Advertisement Among those teams are the Phoenix Suns who are expected to make some major changes to their roster after finishing 11th in the Western Conference and missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season. Of course, many expect the Suns to move on from both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal this offseason as they try to rebuild their roster around Devin Booker. Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35)Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Because of this, Durant is now one of the headliners entering the offseason as it appears likely that the future Hall of Famer will be on the move. There have been many teams linked to a potential Durant trade including the Houston Rockets, New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves but recent reports have made the San Antonio Spurs one of the favorites to land him. Advertisement Due to this, Bill Simmons made a clear hypothesis on Monday regarding a potential trade between the Spurs and Suns for Durant. 'I wouldn't be surprised if KD to the Spurs is done already… like they've agreed on the specifics and they'll just announce it the week of the draft,' Simmons said on his podcast on Monday. This is a bold take by Simmons, especially with the number of teams interested in Durant, but it is not entirely out of the question. There have been multiple reports about the Spurs and Durant having mutual interest as well as San Antonio looking to make a major move this offseason to pair another star next to Victory Wembanyama, despite landing De'Aaron Fox at the trade deadline. San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) faces off against Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35).© Daniel Dunn–USA TODAY Sports Because of this, it would not be surprising if the Spurs and Suns already have a trade cared out and agreed to, though that could end up changing if another team was to offer a better package for Durant. Advertisement Either way, it looks as though Durant's time in Phoenix is quickly coming to an end as it is likely a trade gets done before the NBA Draft. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
