It is not exactly a secret that the Phoenix Suns are in a difficult position. Currently sitting at 10th in the Western Conference standings and a full six games back of eighth place, the Suns are almost certainly going to have to win two play-in games to even make it into the eight-team playoff field in the West. From there, they would face the extremely tall task of taking down a stacked and deep Oklahoma City Thunder team that holds a 59-12 record as of this writing.
Things do not get any easier for Phoenix after the season is over. They have the highest payroll in the league, and it appears increasingly likely that Kevin Durant may be traded. The path forward for this team is murky at best, but Suns owner Mat Ishbia has taken a clear, albeit controversial stance on what direction he wants to take.
From the moment he assumed his position back in February 2023, Ishbia has made it plainly obvious that he wants to win. Not a surprising position for any new owner to hold, of course. But the manner in which Ishbia has repeatedly refused to give up the ghost when it comes to this iteration of the Suns leads many to question his view of the situation. Who could forget last spring, when he repeatedly denied that the organization was in trouble after being swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves?
Ishbia: Suns will "find a way to win" instead of rebuild
His most recent comments in an exclusive interview with ESPN only serve to reinforce the belief that his view of things is a bit off. In talking about the potential process of rebuilding in Phoenix, Ishbia scoffed at the idea. "It's surprising to me that other people, other fans, they actually like the rebuild process," he said. "Like, 'Oh, let's rebuild it.' Are you crazy?! You think I'm going to go for seven years and try to get there? You enjoy the 2030 draft picks that we have holding? I want to try to see the game today. I want us to win today, and we're going to try."
If you try to put yourself in Ishbia's shoes here, perhaps it is a bit more easy to understand where he is coming from. He just began the process of ownership two years ago, and it makes a lot of sense that he would want to hold onto a team with playoff aspirations for as long as he can. Doing so makes selling tickets and growing the relationship with your fanbase easier, at least in theory.
But on the flip side, it could be time to face reality. To say that the Suns are in an excellent position may be bordering on delusional at this point. Ishbia is going to want to hold onto the talent on his roster for as long as is possible, and understandably so. But given the circumstances, Phoenix may have no choice but to rebuild sooner or later.