Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns head into Christmas night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks at a mediocre 14-14 on the season.
After acquiring star guard Bradley Beal in a blockbuster trade this past summer, it did seem like Phoenix had built up a super team in the desert.
That has been anything but the case with Beal having played in all of six games. He’s currently sidelined with an ankle injury after dealing with a back issue earlier in the campaign.
Less than a calendar year after he was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster, Durant is apparently frustrated with the current iteration of the Suns. It’s at the point that the Suns’ brass can feel this frustration.
“Start with Kevin Durant. You talk to people in Phoenix and around that organization, you know, they can feel the frustration [from] Durant. Part of that, certainly, is the missed games for Brad Beal. This team was built around those three stars. The underwhelming supporting cast, that comes from those massive trades for Durant and Bradley Beal that really gutted the organization.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Kevin Durant
KD had shown frustration in the direction of the Nets prior to requesting a trade last season. It now appears that said frustration has followed him to Phoenix.
Related: Phoenix Suns standing in Sportsnaut’s NBA power rankings
Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns struggles
The acquisition of Beal to go with Durant and star guard Devin Booker created a top-heavy roster. While KD and Booker continue to do their thing, it’s been a struggle for Beal when he’s actually suited up this season.
Phoenix boasts a mere 2-4 record in the six games Beal has played. He’s averaging just 14.3 points per game 25 minutes of action. Beal is also now sidelined through at least the New Year due to his current injury.
As a team, the Suns are just 5-10 against teams that are currently in playoff positioning.
- Kevin Durant stats (2023-24): 30.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.4 APG, 52% shooting, 47% 3-point
Durant continues to play at an All-NBA level. Booker (27.7 PPG, 48% shooting) is also doing his thing. But by virtue of the trades for KD and Beal over the past calendar year, the Suns’ depth has taken a hit.
Grayson Allen, Eric Gordon and Jusuf Nurkic represent three of their top-five leading scorers. No one else outside of the top five is averaging more than 6.5 points per game. Josh Okogie, Jordan Goodwin, Drew Eubanks, Keita Bates-Diop and Yuta Watanabe continue to see extensive action.
That’s not an ideal scenario, especially when we look at the depth top-end Western Conference contenders boast on their rosters at this point in the season.