3 Reasons Suns should be concerned ahead of 2024-25 season

Despite failing to live up to the lofty expectations set out for them in 2023-24, the Phoenix Suns are still fringe contenders to win what would be a first ever championship. Fans in The Valley still content with the fact this roster has both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.

Not only that, they now have legitimate options to take on their sixth man role, while Bradley Beal remains one of the best third options in the league when healthy. Combine that with a new head coach in Arizona native Mike Budenholzer, and there's every reason to believe the Suns can be right up there in the Western Conference this coming season.

But there is also a less optimistic view of how this all pans out.

Championships aren't won on paper - and despite winning 49 games last season - the playoff sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves will have left a scar. With Durant a year older and the top five players on this roster all returning, there's plenty of reasons this season could ultimately go the same way as the last one.

3. The role players don't step up

In theory the additions of Tyus Jones, Mason Plumlee and Monte Morris - wherever it is he is supposed to play - are all positives for the franchise, and they are. This trio make the middle part of their rotation better, while rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro should inject some youthful enthusiasm to the back end of their bench during the regular season.

But if you cast your mind back 12 months - with the exception of the rookies - similar levels of optimism existed for the veterans the Suns were able to sign on minimum contracts. Much was expected of Eric Gordon, Keita Bates-Diop, Drew Eubanks and Yuta Watanabe, yet only Gordon panned out.

Watanabe and Bates-Diop didn't even last the season, while fans were happy to see the back of Eubanks. Even worse, Gordon decided to leave The Valley for the Philadelphia 76ers as well. All of which is to say - just because the players the team signed look great - does not mean it's going to work out.

Without doubt the player with the biggest expectations on their shoulders is Jones - who depending on your viewpoint - will either start or else have a very important role off the bench. That doesn't mean he is guaranteed to be a success, and when it comes down to it this group is only as good as its top three players.

2. Bradley Beal's health

A 31-year-old guard beginning to break down and not be as explosive as they used to be is nothing new in the NBA, so why would it be any different for Beal? Although he looked great to end the regular season and was out there in the playoffs, he was limited to only 53 regular season games in his first campaign in Phoenix through injury.

Not only that, but the injuries he did suffer were varied and potentially serious. It began with a back issue before the season even began, and grew to include knee and nose problems. Beal ended up requiring surgery for the nose injury - and although that is not likely to impact him moving forward - it is the latest in what is a growing list of ailments.

Bringing him off the bench would possibly be a solution for both the player and the team, but making over $50 million this coming season it is hard to see that happening. Beal also would likely have to sign off on that, and it is fair to point out that when he has been healthy and given a run of games, he has been what the Suns thought he would be.

Now another year older, the athleticism on the defensive end is sure to begin slipping, and he's probably never going to put up 20 points each night again either. The Suns moved on from Chris Paul because he was too old and they needed to get younger and out from under his contract to compete. Beal was the only option, but already we could be looking at the start of his decline.

1. The center rotation

Ditching Eubanks might have been a good move from the Suns, but Jusuf Nurkic is still without doubt the starting big man for this team. Last season was about as good as you're going to get from him, and he surprised everybody by leading the team in games played last season at 76. It seems unlikely he will remain that healthy again moving forward.

Beyond Nurkic - who was outplayed in the playoffs by the Timberwolves and their massive bigs - the depth at the five is going to be an issue. Expecting a 34-year-old Plumlee to plug every gap is asking too much, although he is an improvement over Nurkic. After that it's possible Ighodaro could see some minutes at the center position.

Durant will also spend some time there, and he will again be better defensively than he is given credit for. But expecting him to continue to be a two-way menace when he's almost 36-years-old is not the best use of his incredible offensive talents. Mixing it in the paint also increases the risk of injury, although Durant is no stranger at driving to the rim.

Then there is Bol Bol, who really shouldn't be thought of as a center at all. Perhaps a G League player will really pop and get brought up to the main roster, but that is asking for a lot. If this organization want to be legitimate contenders, then leaning on Nurkic, Plumlee, a rookie and splashes of Durant does not seem enough to cobble together a rotation to compete at the center position.