There may not have been a team in the NBA that disappointed as much as the Phoenix Suns during the 2023-24 season. After acquiring Bradley Beal ahead of the season to make a Big 3 alongside Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, expectations rose.
Many people thought the Phoenix Suns could compete in the Western Conference, but they fell woefully short of those expectations. They barely avoided the NBA Play-In Tournament, finishing in sixth place.
That led to a first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who made quick work of them. Phoenix was swept, resulting in head coach Frank Vogel being fired after one season on the job.
Vogel was replaced by another former NBA Champion, Mike Budenholzer. Budenholzer was head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks when they defeated the Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals.
Phoenix is hoping he can bring some of that championship luck to the desert. But, if they are going to turn things around this season, the roster needs some help. Depth was a major issue for the team, as was the lack of a true point guard.
Vogle pushed for a point guard addition to the roster to balance things out. Owner Mat Ishbia thought adding a ball-handler would be counterproductive, and eventually, he won out and a move wasn’t made.
After the disastrous campaign, they should be looking to add a lead ballhandler; someone who can get them into their offense and take pressure off of Booker, Beal and Durant. In the opinion of Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report, the dream free agent to fill that void is Kyle Lowry.
“The Suns bringing Lowry off the bench for 20-25 minutes per game would help everything run more smoothly while adding a hefty dose of veteran leadership to the locker room,” wrote Swartz.
The Phoenix Suns didn’t get as much out of their star-studded trio last season as they should have. They ranked 10th in offensive rating and the lack of a point guard certainly played a part.
Ishbia has a point when he says he wants the ball in the hands of Booker, Beal and Durant as much as possible. But making life easier for them on the court should be the No. 1 goal, and adding a veteran of Lowry’s status would certainly suffice.
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