Phoenix Suns fans, we held off on putting this together for as long as possible. Promise, we did. After all the Suns passed the three-quarter mark of their season a few games back, and the reality was there was nobody in the organization who jumped out as having led this team through that portion of the season.
The front office were up for trading Kevin Durant, while neither Devin Booker or even Bradley Beal went on the kind of run that made you at least take notice of all they were trying to do to get this group back into playoff contention. Right now Phoenix is closer to being caught by the San Antonio Spurs at 12th in the Western Conference, than overtaking the Dallas Mavericks for 10th.
Which is why you - the fans - were the third-quarter MVP.
How could you not be? Tune into any game in Footprint Center and the arena is still full. Trying to cheer on a group of players that - individual talent aside - hasn't played like a team all season. It says it all that backup center Mason Plumlee had one of the more memorable moments of the campaign recently in a loss to the Houston Rockets.
Durant's body language hasn't looked great since it was confirmed the Suns would be open to moving him to the Golden State Warriors in order to acquire Jimmy Butler. A way of thinking that continues to look like the smart play as Butler thrives in San Francisco. Booker hasn't been himself out there for much of the season either, falling to take over in the aggressive way that he used to.
Fans were treated to the worst defensive rating in the entire league in February (122.0), as they went a ghastly 3-10 during that stretch. To put that in context the Philadelphia 76ers went 1-10, yet still conceded fewer points each night that month (119.0). So far this month they're actually slightly worse (122.1), but to this point that's left tham 25th in this category.
Defending badly is one thing - and boy have the Suns done that in abundance - but not caring has been the real killer. There have been moments - however brief - in which the Suns were locked in during this stretch. That massive comeback victory over the L.A. Clippers springs to mind. But rather than be the game to kickstart their season, it was instead an anomaly.
Then there is head coach Mike Budenholzer. He has cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines, but that pales in comparison to how the fans now feel about him. Some of his rotations and decision-making have been tough to watch, while the unwillingness to play rookie Ryan Dunn - despite a nice start to the season and being one of their best defensive players - has been strange.
We couldn't even look upstairs to the front office for this award either, as owner Mat Ishbia certainly isn't deserving at this point. The big splashes he made upon buying the team, already coming back to haunt this organization long-term. Admittedly General Manager James Jones can't do anything at this point in the campaign, but the willingness to trade Durant at the deadline looks bad now.
All it has done is clearly unsettle the 36-year-old, with most expecting him to depart The Valley this summer. What will happen beyond that is anybody's guess, but one thing is for certain. You're still going to be there on opening night next season, which is why you deserve this award. This has been an awful season - with a bleak future surely ahead - yet here you are. No better recipient.