Suns Named One of Most Disappointing Teams in Sports

The last two seasons have not been a strong reflection on the franchise.

Jan 22, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) reacts during the second half of the game against the Chicago Bulls at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- The last 16 months have been - interesting - for the Phoenix Suns, to say the least.

The Suns now sit at 77-65 since the beginning of the 2023-24 season - that mark is one that appears solid at the surface - but expectations that were placed on the franchise undoubtedly change the perception of how the last year-plus has gone.

The 2023-24 Suns weren't just named one of the most disappointing teams across the NBA according to David Kenyon of Bleacher Report - but across all major sports leagues as well.

More below:

"At the trade deadline in the 2022-23 campaign, the Phoenix Suns pulled off a blockbuster for Kevin Durant. Although they exited the playoffs in the second round, the Suns entered the offseason with a wave of optimism.

But the wheeling and dealing was only starting.

Ownership replaced head coach Monty Williams with Frank Vogel. Phoenix dealt Chris Paul and immense draft capital for Bradley Beal, then shipped out DeAndre Ayton for Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen and depth. Ultimately, the Suns headed into the regular season as a top NBA Finals contender.

However, that newfound star power around Devin Booker led Phoenix to a measly two-win (four-win) improvement at 49-33. Even worse, the Minnesota Timberwolves swept the Suns out of the postseason's opening round."

And the situation has only devolved further in 2024-25.

The sweeping changes, large payroll, and all-in approach naturally make a 49-33 season that ended unceremoniously in the first round of the playoffs a massive disappointment - no one expected Phoenix to be an early exit in the playoffs going into the 2023-24 season.

The point that the situation has gone downhill even more simply makes the downfall of a franchise that made the NBA Finals in 2021 even more painful - the coaching change, roster tweaks, and Olympic experience for Kevin Durant/Devin Booker was supposed to lead to a marked improvement this season.

Not only has the expected improvement not been reflected in the standings - it feels like this is the least motivated a Suns team has been since the team that was coached by Igor Kokoskov in 2018-19.

The Suns are hampered by the second apron, a lack of controllable draft assets, and a general lack of explosive athletes - it only compounds what previously made the present/future murky for the franchise.

The only other NBA squads to join Phoenix were the 2021-22 Brooklyn Nets and 2017-18 Oklahoma City Thunder - the Nets/Thunder were both able to escape the cycle of disappointment, so the Suns certainly have hope they can as well moving forward.