Things are moving for the Phoenix Suns, where the season is very disappointing so far. Two important pieces of information have reached us in recent hours, coming from Chris Haynes and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, two journalists who are obviously very connected and reliable when it comes to NBA news.
First of all, purely and simply regarding the terrain: according to Haynes, Bradley Beal et Jusuf Nurkic are going to be out of the starting five next night in Philadelphia. They will be replaced by the rookie Ryan Dunn, for Beal, and by the experienced Mason Plumlee, for Nurkic. Alongside this information, Haynes’ sources tell him there is tension in the locker room, with players troubled by uncertainty around their role and the coaching staff’s willingness to try new things.
Regarding the off-field and negotiations before the trade deadline, Windhorst announces that the Suns are currently the “most aggressive” team in trade discussions around Jimmy Butler. However, the Heat apparently no longer have interest in Bradley Beal – who has a no-trade clauselet’s remember – and we would then have to find a third team willing to get involved in the deal and for which Beal would agree.
In all of this, we ultimately hear very little from the two leaders of the team, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. The Phoenix Suns are currently 12th in the West, with 15 wins and 18 losses, which places them two wins away from 10th place, synonymous with qualification for the play-in tournament. This would be the bare minimum given the ambitions displayed at the start of the season.
Jimmy Butler suspended by the Heat: transfer imminent
