Are The Phoenix Suns NBA Championship Hopes DEAD?

Are The Phoenix Suns NBA Championship Hopes DEAD?

are the Suns Championship hopes dead right now dead or is everybody just overreacting it’s another episode of Southwest bias get that stuff out of here it’s Southwest [Music] Bay I have espo I have Bo Brock guys the question is simple is it time to give up on the Suns Championship hopes espo I’ve never heard you talk about the Suns before I’m sure you’re itching to get a son’s takeoff so we’ll throw it to you first the the news of the Phoenix Sun’s death is greatly exaggerated you have Devin Booker you have Kevin Durant you have Bradley Beal correct I don’t care what the rest of the roster sounds like after that there is always the possibility that they can win a title just by those top three guys on the roster then you add in the fact that they hired Mike buen hoser a coach that can actually do the job and hold guys accountable where Frank vogle couldn’t just that is enough for me to go there’s a massive overcorrection this time last year they’re hated favorites this time uh right now they’re completely overlooked by national media the books all these things and to me it’s it’s ridiculous right now okay I get it they have to prove it yeah and you have to come out and you have to play well but to completely bury them like even the fan base has at this point a large portion of the fan base seems so shortsighted to me because go look at what the Minnesota Timberwolves did in in year two where people said it’s a failed experiment it’s ridiculous and then they have a big year and I get it the rosters are are designed differently but I really feel like you can’t put the dirt on this team until you see what they do to begin this season it’s ridiculous you well I’m I’m gonna come from a different side here I think that definitively this iteration of the Phoenix Suns Championship window is firmly closed I I I believe that I mean the last time I mean think about the last time that Kevin Durant made a Deep Run in the postseason it wasn’t in the 20s you have to go back to the teens and Kevin Durant Bradley Beal off injured Stars it’s just it’s tough to really kind of build something that’s going to make a Deep Run now I say that after we just watched the Dallas Mavericks that we all claim were dead last year at this time like you said there’s no way that this experiment with Kyrie and Luca was going to be successful and it was an overwhelming success this despite what happened in in the finals but what they were able to do from a team building aspect I don’t think that the Phoenix Suns are capable of doing that like I I think that what you got from Kyrie and what you got from Luca can you get that from you know and over the hill Kevin Durant can you get that from an offender Brad Bradley Beal I think that the Mavericks are more the exception to the rule and not the blueprint so I just don’t think that there’s an ability I like book I think that the best opportunity to to open that window back up is to move forward with book and then move off of everybody else hold on I’ll I’ll let you get in but I got to rebut really yeah Kevin Durant is over the hill yes the dude was top five in or top seven in points per game along with Devin Booker this year like Kevin Durant is still doing Kevin Durant things Devin Booker is still doing Devin Booker things and when Bradley Beal was on the court and I’ll give you that he had injuries this year he was doing Bradley Beal things and Kevin Durant was not injured this year like you’re basing it off of the leg injury that he had coming back from an Achilles and a knee knee injury the one time he was actually injured and he’s come back just as strong I don’t think that’s a fair assessment well I mean I don’t know if this is necessarily fair that I I am a uh I’m a gorilla that’s entered the shark Waters right now with espo right I mean did I come equipped I I just think what it’s fair to call Kevin Durant over the hill I think it’s fair to say he’s not in his prime anymore but over over the hill implies somebody who’s not bringing like value right like no I didn’t say it he’s still gonna get you the postseason but is he gonna be the he can’t be the best player on a championship team is he gonna be the robin even to Devon B back he he he is good enough to be the second best player in the championship team and here’s the thing with the the way the suns are currently constructed you can look at this last season you can look at it as disappointing I think that’s completely fair right the reality is the big three played 40 games together and for any team that has seen a massive amount of success recently including the ones that have won championships what do they all have chemistry and and some form of continuity with Boston they have the Tatum and and brown with the Nuggets they’ve had yic Murray Porter all around a lot younger core okay a lot younger I I get it but what I’m saying is like when it comes to basketball even look at the Timberwolves right the first year the Timberwolves trade it was a disaster everybody said they were awful right but then they come in and they have another year together they mold and maybe it’s just one or two pieces away and you look at the Suns as well you have two guys that can average nearly 30 points per game and then another one in Bradley Beal that at one point literally average 30 points per game in back-to-back Seasons now obviously building a roster around them is hard and sometimes it’s it’s Hit or Miss but they’ve also given themselves some assets to be able to move around and I think the key to all of this is that the sun’s Championship window will always be open as long as Devin Booker is there and Matt ishbia is there because what are they going to try to do go pedal to the medal and win every single year now I’m not ready to close the book on the Durant Beal Booker part of it because again you saw them for 40 games holding on to a bad relationship it’s time to get out it’s time to get out you’re making too many like excuses for this team I think it’s you you’ve got something really good in book and let let’s just find what the other pieces are all the the teams that you mentioned those young athletic teams that can play on both sides of the Court the Suns can do it on one side the offensive side can they play defense like Minnesota can they Kevin had an argument for all defense this year he had an argument okay like I said you’re making these excuses for the bad relationship you’re in he’s like well you know like how fast did you leave relationships when you were dating like were you like you’re like I wasn’t like Seinfeld or anything that wasn’t a new episode every week about but I think you have to see the writing on the wall if if it’s not going to at the end of it do see that person standing at the altar with you get in the ring then what are we doing here I see I can see the altar now do I know that we’re gonna make it no but I think there’s a chance because you are you squinting to see like Durant there with because you know what I actually have Vision where a lot of people in this town lack the ability to look at the reality of a situation rather than the hype and the noise around it right you say Kevin Durant hasn’t been good uh in the in the 2020s right no I said that he hasn’t made a deep postseason his foot if his foot was half an inch smaller he would have made it to at least the Eastern Conference Finals and that was not his fault he put up 48 points against a Buc team like and they would have they would have blitzed the the freaking Atlanta Hawks and would have wound up in the finals against the Suns that year all right so and the idea that even Kevin Durant can’t be a number one on a title Contender I I’m on the fence about to me this isn’t about basketball skill this was about lock room it was about mentality last year it was about system you know what changes that a good head coach and they brought that guy in in fact they got the guy that most people thought was the Lakers Top Choice and potentially LeBron’s Top Choice they got him to come to Phoenix he’s a guy that’s going to bring invigorated passion won’t be afraid to stand up to anybody in that locker room and say get your [ __ ] together and that’s why this Phoenix Suns team has the opportunity to be better plus I think they’re going to be smarter in the way that they approach building the back half of the roster they built that team to beat the Denver Nuggets last year not a holistic approach that they took so I think they’re going to be smarter in building the back half and trying to find those value pieces and they’re going to look at is nerk the right answer can you move him can you find something different I think this team’s window is still open will they actually finish the job that’s see that’s that’s the conversation right and if if Bo if you’re to say you know I think they could win a championship but I would put my money on them not winning I think that’s a different conversation but to completely close the book and say there is absolutely zero chance that the the talent combined this iteration are you just defining it as the this big three this big three right so if one of them moves on different different iteration I think that you that becomes one of your assets to help team build in a in a better better way gives you more of an ability to kind of lengthen that Rost so you think they’re too topheavy yeah by a lot and you’re not not getting the production necessary from the top to move forward with that and what more production do you want that’s the thing in particular Devin Booker and Kevin Durant the production was there the the the one knock I will give you is the injury concern in particular with Bradley Beal and Devin’s been on the fence there but when they were playing in most cases they played at a high level it was a lack of system and a bench that didn’t really H Ever gel that cost them this year they still won 49 games you still had two guys in the top 10 in scoring points per game you had Devon Booker in the top 10 assists per game they did it statistically it was the other peripheral things that cost them which I think are correctable and I also think it’s worth noting that yes they won 49 games there were a lot of games where you know at the end of it they were either winning in the fourth quarter had a really terrible fourth quarter they end up losing by a couple of points you make slight adjustments and those adjustments maybe being less ISO ball more team basketball more threes which are all points of emphasis for Mike buen holer and not points of emphasis for Frank vogle you’re probably looking at a close to 60- win team like no I’m I’m being like I’m not even being factious here like you’re talking about a couple different points and a couple fourth quarter meltdowns against teams that you are clearly better then that including 40 games combined played together between Beal Booker and Durant be average like 185 and five this season as a third option like and he was adjusting to an entirely new role from being the number one on a good team you give them a summer together you get their chemistry together a coach that they clearly respect and a coach that very clearly wants to be here and is like passionate about coaching the Phoenix Suns I do think that you could say Okay add a couple more wins in there and what was the main complaint with the Suns this entire season it just wasn’t fun yeah right they didn’t they didn’t fit and you if we’re talking statistics too you had the top three-point shooter or one of the top three-point Shooters in the game in Grayson Allen from what he hit Beyond The Arc like statistically that that was not the problem yeah so how you if he just had a little bit of better job where he made a little bit more money cleaned up after himself he’d be the one that you know you you see this the rest of your life with right you spend the rest of your life with him but we’re not GNA go back and go through all the full you know 80 plus game slate and say hey they they could have won this game they patter that can that can be corrected and fixed through what changes they’ve already made possibly but when you look at the the rest of the NBA landscape like they’re they’re teams way ahead of the Phoenix Suns they gotta play Big Time catchup and you’re asking to play catch-up and players to change their ways this deep into their career I think if you’re going to move forward with one person it’s book the other guys like I think they’re interchangeable I don’t listen I don’t disagree that at the end of the day this team goes and will always go with where Devon Booker is I think at the same time you look at the pure amount of Talent on this team they’re going to resign Royce O’Neal they have Grayson Allen under contract and then you have Devin Booker who can be an MVP candidate Kevin Durant who can be an MVP candidate I mean these are two all NBA players right like maybe not in their Prime for Kevin Durant but still made an all NBA team this year and Bradley Beal who can for first round exit but again you that’s that’s also a whole team thing and there are going to be changes throughout plus injury-wise as well every single team it depends on injuries if the Celtics had more injuries they wouldn’t have won in fact that’s what happened to them when they got their ass kicked by Brooklyn with Kevin Durant a couple years ago it was because there were injuries Jason Tatum injured his ankle the Denver Nuggets what was the whole thing before they won the championship can Jamal Murray stay healthy can Michael Porter Jr stay healthy like the Warriors you don’t go if Steph Curry gets injured and so you look at this season Bradley Beal was the only one that missed an extremely extended period of time right and that was with some back issues that seem to resolve themselves to the end of the season you’re always drawing the dice when it comes to injuries I don’t think that you can use that as an excuse oh the the window is closed and I know that’s not the only thing you’re saying but I I think that provides like context to where yes if any team’s best players get injured they’re screwed let’s I want to go to your analogy okay right yes you’re talking about the the relationship if the Vibes are off do you does the relationship feel right like if if if if things just aren’t aren’t going well there’s things in life that The Vibes are important in a relationship right but so there’s Vibes and then there’s like legitimate lethal red flags okay okay I I’ll give you that so what are the lethal red flags for this team as far as this team it was a it was an overwhelming just exit to the season to a season that was trying from the from the very jump there was there was very little times throughout this where you’re like oh this is the this is the sun this is the Suns team that’s going to get to the Finish Line that’s going to be able to finally get that parade in downtown Phoenix and we’re see them you know get that title get that ring I mean there just was I felt like the entire year we’re trying to make excuses for this team I will give you the playoff exit that was atrocious one of the most embarrassing Series in Sun’s history but what I will also say about it is it looked like a team that had checked out on their coach right A Team where it just wasn’t working from that standpoint and really hadn’t All Season Christmas was the point where I was calling for Frank vogle to be fired because that was the low water water mark and it was pretty clear that he wasn’t going to get the ears of these guys he wasn’t going to be able to change it so I am of the belief that that played a big role in why you got Jack stomped by the Minnesota Timberwolves but there is no there is no power team in the Western Conference the western conference is the poster conference for parody right there’s all these really good teams nobody stood up and taken the mantle of it right it was the Nuggets last year Minnesota for two rounds this year Dallas gets to the finals like there is no team that has claimed the mantle in the Western Conference and that’s why I feel like this team still has a chance to do that even if it’s just for one year and one year is all you need uh to get up there and get a ring this is not a long-term relationship this is Mr right now not Mr Right and sometimes Mr right now is what you need and that’s what the suns are looking at Mr right now okay I’m waiting for your response man what do you mean I just what do you have to say to that that uh that espo wants a one night stand for a ring it’s a one it’s a it’s a couple years stand it’s a couple we’ve all had those relationships that went a couple years and when they R the course you go thanks now I’m on to my next relationship that uh that will continue what I’m you can say the western conference is wide open but I see the Suns you know pretty far behind t-wolves Mavs nuggets Thunder like there there are some teams that they that just a head coach is going to be the differen maker the western conference is a lot like your Tinder app back in the day a whole lot of swiping left because nobody is is the one that you really want to do anything with all right that’s the western conference right now a lot of good teams nobody stepped up to be great and I think the Phoenix Suns for a year maybe two can be that in aurent iteration and then you move on when the Kevin Durant deals done and I think like yes a coach doesn’t fix everything but if you look at specifically what have we been talking about the main problem with the Suns has B it’s Vibes it’s you never got that feeling with this team you know and we watched the entire season obviously you know did shows after every single game it it was there was a lot of times you’re like this isn’t what was promised right this isn’t what we expected this isn’t the hype that we expected with Kevin Durant oh Bradley Beal isn’t playing for a majority of the beginning of the season oh these role players these veteran minimums that we talked ourselves into the dreu banks the UDA wats anabis of the world the Kates doops like none of those worked out and now you’re adjusting on the Fly and making trades now you do have a piece in Royce O’Neal that’s going to stick around that you know can play you do have veteran minimums that you can work with and Phoenix will always be destination because of what’s being invested in it because of the weather and yes because of Devon Booker and because of Kevin Durant like anybody that says different I’m sorry is is ridiculous in the thought that Phoenix isn’t a destination it absolutely is in the NBA and can I speak to to wrap this up you’re allowed to do whatever you want man I’m gonna speak your language for a second okay all right I’m I’m gonna get on the grid IR I’m G put my knuckles in the dirt you know and and we’re gonna talk my brother let’s go all right uh Kyler Murray yeah under Cliff Kingsbury MH good right did wasn’t able to reach his potential right system system mattered right the it never felt quite right it felt kind of like Club Med because uh because he didn’t because cliff didn’t really know what he was doing right how do you feel about Kyler this year with Jonathan Ganon look I I we’ve seen in a short what time span for Kyler Murray under Jonathan Ganon with Monty OS for the infrastructure has vastly improved do you want a long-term relationship Tyler now I got to see yeah but I got to see that for the Phoenix Suns like we’ve got one Mike boen holes or press conference I gotta see I mean it’s not like the unnown there’s a there’s a long way to go I I agree I’ll agree with that but I don’t think you can write off the the potential that it actually turns around because of him because if you had and you had written off Kyler Murray but we’re talking about a 26-year-old franchise quarterback vers you’re talking about a 28y old Allstar guard and a guy that’s been an MVP I made my point about book I’ve and I maintained that book you move forward with KD being the the second option there I’ve got my KD the second option who scores 27 points per game and plays almost all NBA defense okay all right enough like he’s dead already like the like The Simpsons me look you guys can you can go and look you know you can kind of hang your hat on the statistics or whatever and I I see I saw what I saw from the entire that’s I think doubts are fair but I think just completely saying it’s it’s closed and there’s no chance I it doubts Kevin Durant’s greatness who yeah if I could take Kevin Durant from four years ago five years ago one of the greatest basketball players ever play the game absolutely and he still is averaging almost 30 points per game as as a second option right Bradley Beal another year under the system because it’s not it’s not just bud but Bud is also at the heart of it where he’s going to orchestrate a better more cohesive option guys I’m going to be here for you I’m gonna be here for you all next season you can come talk to me doors always open when when these things when the when it’s it’s not all you know roses and Sh Sunshine I’ll be here for you we’ll be we’ll be here for you too when when six win starts to look like a reality as well so all right well before we get to fist fighting if you want to you know go to Bo during the sun season and vent in his mentions you can do it at BO Brock or if you want to talk about Cardinals talk about Kyler Murray you can check out the phnx Cardinal show every single weekday at 4:30 if you want some more Suns talk from espo you can follow him at espo you check out the phnx sun show live on this channel right here phnx Sports at 3:00 every single weekday we got draft coverage coming up next week free agency the NBA season just simply doesn’t stop neither do we you can check myself out on the phnx sundevil show at 1:30 or two every single week day and of course all of that right here on ph& xports hit that subscribe button hit that like button on this video we will be back and and hopefully I can get you guys in some better terms all right it’s it’s it’s going to be okay Marvin Harrison Jr yes there we go we can all agree on that if you didn’t see last week’s or earlier this week’s edition of Southwest spies we talked about mha other hype prospects last week we did talk Kyler and the week before that a little Diana terasi Caitlyn Clark go ahead and check all those out probably in the suggested after this video but again subscribe like this video and we’ll talk to you guys next week get that stuff out of here it’s Southwest B [Music]

In the latest edition of Southwest Bias, Erik Ruby, Espo and Bo Brack debate if the Suns championship window is closed, or if everyone is overreacting…

#KevinDurant #Durant #KD #DevinBooker #Booker #Book #BradleyBeal #Beal #PhoenixSuns #Phoenix #NBA #basketball #Big3 #hoops #sports #BolBol #GraysonAllen #JusufNurkic #Budenholzer

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