💸 NBA’s Highest-Paid Trio, Lowest Return: Suns Eliminated from Playoff Contention
PHOENIX — What was billed as a superteam season ended in super disappointment. The Phoenix Suns, led by Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, have officially been eliminated from the 2025 NBA Playoffs following a stunning 125–112 loss to a shorthanded Oklahoma City Thunder squad.
The defeat marked the Suns’ eighth straight double-digit loss, sealing a late-season collapse few saw coming.
📉 From Contenders to Collapse: How It Fell Apart
The Suns started the season 8–1, but injuries, inconsistency, and coaching struggles dragged them to a 35–45 finish — their worst since 2019.
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Durant missed the final five games with a sprained ankle.
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Beal played only 41 games due to recurring injuries.
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Budenholzer, in his first season as head coach, failed to establish rhythm or identity.
“When you’ve had a season this bad, it’s a bunch of things,” Booker said.
📊 The Harsh Numbers:
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8-game losing streak to end the season
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0 playoff appearances despite a $190M payroll
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Top-10 offense, bottom-10 net rating post All-Star break
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Beal’s lowest scoring average (17.4 PPG) since rookie year
🔮 What’s Next for Phoenix?
With their top three players all aged 30+, limited cap flexibility, and no draft picks in the top 10, the Suns now face:
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Tough personnel decisions
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A coaching evaluation
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Franchise soul-searching
Will the front office try again with this core, or will they break it up?
“We skipped a step,” said Booker. “You can’t shortcut culture.”
