This offseason is going to be one of the most difficult in memory for the Phoenix Suns. They may have moved quick to hire a new head coach in Mike Budenholzer - but even during his introductory press conference - it was clear that some of the problems of last season look set to continue.
Then there is the subject of the organization's "Big 3" of Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant. The three superstars around who the Suns hope to win a first ever championship, but also the core that cost them their depth and their future to put together.
The only realistic way to try and get better this summer remains trading one of them, and General Manager James Jones has now addressed if this will happen.
Speaking on the popular Burns & Gambo show on Arizona Sports on the same day coach Budenholzer was officially unveiled, Jones had the following to say on the subject of a seismic trade going down this offseason.
"Those guys aren't going anywhere."@Suns president of basketball operations James Jones puts to bed any speculation that a member of the 'Big 3' would be traded this offseason.
— The Burns & Gambo Show (@BurnsAndGambo) May 17, 2024
📺: https://t.co/9FB7poCRrL pic.twitter.com/eN6ohlRo8P
There you have it then - an open and shut case - right? Not exactly, because it's not like Jones would just come out and say that one of their three best players is definitely going to be traded. He'll never admit this, and nobody in the Suns' organization will publically, but already there have been whispers that the team would get out from under Beal and his monster contract if they could.
As a result of his no-trade clause though, he is going nowhere for now. Neither is Booker - who the franchise would be foolish to trade - and is in the process of becoming the best player in the history of the Suns if he continues at his current pace. But what about Kevin Durant?
The 35-year-old had a fantastic season on both ends of the court, even if there was talk immediately after the campaign ended that he was unhappy with his role in The Valley. The playoffs haven't hit their halfway point, and already there have been fake trade scenarios and an apparent NBA executive talking about how the New York Knicks would be a good landing spot for him.
As ridiculous as this sounds right now - the Suns literally gave up everything they had for Durant - you would have never thought he'd go to the Brooklyn Nets at one point in his career either. Even crazier still, of the star teammates he had while there, it is Kyrie Irving who has gone on to have the most success these postseason, starring for the Dallas Mavericks.
All of which is to say, you just never know what is going to happen. The smart money is on the "Big 3" staying together in Phoenix into next season, Jones was emphatic about that. Only the same would have been said at this point last season, when Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton were on the roster. How did that end again?