What's next for Suns? After feel-good season, the Thunder remind them just how far they have to go
The Phoenix Suns had a surprisingly successful season after years of struggles, making the playoffs with a reinvigorated roster and culture under new coach Jordan Ott. However, their shortcomings were exposed by the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who swept them in the first round. Despite the progress, the Suns' lack of draft assets and financial flexibility leaves them far from true contention.
- ▪The Suns made the playoffs after rebuilding around defense and effort following the departure of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
- ▪Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Suns in the first round, highlighting the vast gap between the teams in talent and resources.
- ▪Phoenix has traded away nearly all future first-round picks and faces long-term financial constraints from waiving Beal.
- ▪Young players like Oso Ighodaro, Collin Gillespie, and Jalen Green showed promise, but the team lacks the assets to make major improvements.
- ▪The Thunder possess superior depth, draft capital, and flexibility, making them a model of sustainable success compared to Phoenix's limited options.
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What's next for Suns? After feel-good season, the Thunder remind them just how far they have to go The Suns were a pleasant surprise this season, but they were no match for the reigning champion Thunder in the playoffs By Sam Quinn Apr 28, 2026 at 1:14 am ET • 7 min read Getty Images This season was, by any realistic measure, an enormous success for the Phoenix Suns. The standard was, of course, low. Years of self-inflicted wounds left the Suns stuffed in the NBA's proverbial dumpster. They needed to hire their fourth head coach in four years. Their three-headed offensive monster of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal failed to win a playoff game in two seasons. One of them, Durant, was traded. Another, Beal, was waived.
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