A primary spherical exit from the NBA playoffs could be demoralising, being swept out of the primary spherical is a complete different state of affairs.
Whereas the Phoenix Suns are coping with that, the indicators wanting forward are even worse for the Western Convention group.
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After being utterly swept off the court docket by the Minnesota Timberwolves, the fact for the Suns is as bleak because it could possibly be.
Anthony Edwards put the ultimate nail within the Suns coffin on Monday (AEST) when he threw down a monster dunk over Kevin Durant because the Wolves captured the 122-116 win and a 4-0 collection sweep.
Bradley Beal turned the ultimate piece of the Suns massive three after becoming a member of the group in June, 2023, with the commerce lifting hopes the trio might information Phoenix to its first NBA title.
These hopes went up in flames because the Wolves marched into the second spherical to arrange a mouth-watering matchup with both the reigning champion Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Lakers.
The Suns will now enter an intriguing summer time with their wage cap bursting on the seams protecting the salaries of their massive three.
Durant, Beal and Booker will value the Suns an astronomical US$151 million ($229m) alone for the 2024/25 season.
Beal has been thrust into the highlight after producing a horror outing in sport 4, tallying simply 9 factors, one rebound and two assists.
He fouled out of the competition within the fourth quarter and was swept for the primary time in his profession, simply days after saying: “I’ve by no means been swept a day in my life, so I’ll be damned if that occurs.”
He’s owed a whopping US$161 million over the course of the following three seasons and he additionally holds a no-trade clause.
However that’s simply the beginning of the ugliness for the Suns with their future portray a fair bleaker image for followers.
The Suns are at the moment holding onto a first-round decide within the upcoming 2024 draft, however past that their draft holdings can solely be described as dire.
They at the moment don’t maintain a second-round decide in any respect between 2024 and 2030 whereas they don’t have a first-round decide from 2025 throughout to 2030.
It means the Suns entrance workplace is ready for a summer time of staring deep into the mirror to determine precisely how they’re going to place a roster collectively to bounce again subsequent season.
Whereas they’re more likely to run it again with their beginning 5, a evident problem all through the collection for the Suns wasn’t simply their lack of depth, however how poorly their fundamental items performed whereas on the ground collectively.
Throughout the 4 video games within the collection, Durant, Beal and Booker shared the court docket for a complete of 125 minutes. In that point the Suns have been outscored by 52 factors.
Within the remaining 67 minutes of sport time, the Suns have been solely outscored by eight factors.
Regardless of their offence containing three supremely gifted scorers, the Suns have been by no means in a position to hearth on all cylinders with Durant reportedly not blissful together with his function within the group.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania wrote that “Durant by no means felt snug together with his function in Phoenix’s offence alongside Booker and Beal”.
Coach Frank Vogel is anticipated to be let go from his function in what might properly be the primary of many strikes made by new proprietor Mat Ishbia.
NBA Playoff First Spherical
West
OKC Thunder lead New Orleans Pelicans 3-0
LA Clippers tied with Dallas Mavericks 2-2
Denver Nuggets lead LA Lakers 3-1
Wolves defeated Suns 4-0
East
Boston Celtics lead Miami Warmth 2-1
Orlando Magic tied with Cleveland Cavaliers 2-2
Indiana Pacers lead Milwaukee Bucks 3-1
NY Knicks lead Philadelphia 76ers 3-1
