Phoenix Suns' Past Mistakes are Catching Up

PHOENIX -- The 2024-25 season has been arguably the biggest uphill climb for the Phoenix Suns in any of the three previous seasons - and that is saying something, considering the previous two years ended in coaching changes.

The squad sits at just 25-25 - they must finish 24-8 just to match the 49-win mark that was met last season. They must go 19-13 to match the victory total of 44 from 2022-23.

With that in mind, there has to be some serious soul-searching from within the franchise in regard to what has gone wrong in the last several years and how each incorrect step has lead to this moment - where the franchise has a very limited capacity to improve the roster in a meaningful fashion.

The full timeline below:

November 2020: Drafting Jalen Smith

Smith was never a bad player by any means. It was still the wrong choice for a bevy of reasons.

First off, there were better prospects at positions of need at Phoenix's doorstep - Tyrese Maxey, Desmond Bane, Devin Vassell, and Tyrese Haliburton were amongst the more logical selections.

Picking any one of these players would have given the Suns a cost-controlled franchise cornerstone at a position of need that could be built around or could have eventually been shipped out in the Durant trade that eventually happened.

Hindsight is 20-20, but trading both Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges has hurt the franchise much more than anyone could have predicted at the time.

Smith has carved out a solid career, but consistently sat behind Deandre Ayton and others at the front court positions.

February 2022: Trade For Torrey Craig

The Suns moving Smith and a second round pick for Craig just months after letting him walk in free agency just months before.

This was certainly a curious decision - Craig started in 60 games during the 2022-23 season, but Phoenix eventually let him walk yet again in the summer of 2023.

This wasn't a bad move in any way, but it does add to the continued trend of not making the most of the assets the franchise has.

June 2022-February 2023: Prolong Kevin Durant Saga

The Suns could have quickly sealed this trade and ensured a full season of built camaraderie if they had just been willing to move Bridges over the summer.

Instead, talks shut down and Phoenix battled injuries through February - in what was a middling start to the year.

By the time Durant was traded for, the Suns ended up ceding roughly the same package that would have been required over the summer - and the former MVP was currently out with a leg injury at the time.

Durant eventually only played eight regular season games ahead of the playoff run - could things have been different if the former Net was traded in the summer of 2022? It is absolutely possible.

June 2023: Frank Vogel Hire

This was likely due to current head coach Mike Budenholzer making the business decision to sit out the 2023-24 season, but the decision to hire the former NBA champion to lead the sidelines was a curious choice from the start.

It could have worked in theory, but some moves that were made after this - along with Vogel being forced to retain Kevin Young as a holdover - spelled doom at the time looking back.

Budenholzer is facing his own share of challenges, but it is clear that he is an upgrade from what Phoenix was receiving in the preceding years.

June 2023: Bradley Beal Trade

The Beal trade looked great at the time from a process perspective - moving Chris Paul and other pieces for the best player possible.

However, the no-trade clause, maximum contract money, and roster fit in Phoenix from this perspective has ultimately made the former scoring champ virtually unmovable via trade.

The Suns could have chose to pursue James Harden that summer. They could have rode it out with Paul before signing him to a more team-friendly deal in the next summer. If they had kept the potential options open, Jimmy Butler could realistically be in Phoenix right now.

This is absolutely nothing against Beal - who has been the ultimate professional, a quality player, and a standout representative for the city of Phoenix - this is just how the business works, and the history books will see this move as one of the most head-scratching in the history of the NBA.

July 2023: Free Agent Signings

The only signing the Suns made in the free agency period that somewhat worked out was Eric Gordon - who started out his tenure playing very good basketball prior to the law of averages evening out as the season progressed.

The other signings - such as Keita Bates-Diop and Yuta Watanabe - were shipped out at the trade deadline to acquire Royce O'Neale - which was another instance of the Suns trading draft capital for a quality player that may or may not move the needle come playoff time.

2025 Trade Season

The only success the Suns saw during trade season was the offloading of Jusuf Nurkic's contract - that should allow for a bit more relief in the summer, as they should be able to fall under the second apron now.

Otherwise, the Suns potentially alienated Durant, were unable to close the deal on Jimmy Butler, and moved an unprotected pick for three lower-value first round selections.

The future is going to be a mess for the Suns - that is quite clear. Much of that mess was self-created in the end as well - it should serve as a valuable lesson for everyone involved in the decision making process moving forward.

The Suns are set to play the Utah Jazz for thr final time this season tonight.