Although the Phoenix Suns are having a successful season, the looming regret of trading for Kevin Durant still weighs heavy on the fanbase.
The Suns have been a pleasant surprise this season as they compete for a playoff spot but it’s a far cry from the expectations when Durant arrived in Phoenix. Not only did the Suns trade away important members of a proven team in 2023, but they also mortgaged their future.
Trading for Kevin Durant was a disaster
In return for the huge haul they sent out to acquire Durant - Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder and 4 unprotected first-round picks - the Suns only got three years with him and one playoff series win. Durant was individually dominant but it was clear the Suns gave up too much for him.
The starkest reminder of the Suns’ previous mistake has ironically been their success this season. Phoenix is putting together a solid campaign by playing tough defense with a well-rounded roster. It’s a direct contrast to their struggles last season with multiple megastars.
The Suns are now seeing that the best way to succeed in today’s NBA is surrounding their sole primary star (Devin Booker) with great supporting pieces. That’s exactly what the Suns were headed towards until they made a bold move for Durant. In the last couple seasons, Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson have both proven themselves capable starters on high-level playoff teams. If they had stayed in Phoenix, the Suns could still be extremely competitive in the West.
In addition, the Suns would have options to replenish talent through the draft. Yes, they would be unlikely to draft very high with a deep team. But they would still have some shots at young talent late in the first round. They could also use these picks to upgrade marginally with smaller trades.
Even now, the Suns are unlikely to become title contenders in the near future. They're a nice scrappy team this season but not able to compete with the true powerhouses in the West. There aren't really any sound options for elevating to that status while Booker is still in his prime.
Unfortunately, the Suns will look back on their trade for Durant as a waste of Booker's peak. Rather than continuing to build the perfect team around Booker, they threw it all away with an impatient move. Their shortsightedness has come back to haunt them many times over.
After getting embarrassed by Luka Doncic and the Mavericks in the 2022 Playoffs, the Suns were desperate to make a huge splash for a star. Unfortunately, they made the wrong one and it cost them the core elements of their winning team. Now, they'll hope to one day recover from the aftermath of that trade.