[Saba Sports News] The Phoenix Suns made it to the NBA Finals just over two years ago, but their current roster hardly reflects that achievement. Recently, Phoenix made a significant move by trading Deandre Ayton to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a multi-team deal for Damian Lillard. This trade marks the end of Ayton’s five-season stint with the team.
Following Ayton’s departure, a surprising fact about the Suns gained widespread attention:
Devin Booker is now the sole remaining player from their 2021 NBA Finals squad. To acquire two superstars to complement Booker (Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal), Phoenix underwent significant roster changes. Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and Jae Crowder, all key players from the 2021 Finals team, were part of the multi-team deal involving Durant last February.
In June, two more players, Chris Paul and Cameron Payne, were affected by the Beal trade—Paul became the centerpiece of the trade back to Washington, while Payne was dealt in a separate transaction due to financial constraints. With Ayton’s departure to Portland and the typical season-to-season turnover of bench players, Booker stands as the lone remaining piece in Phoenix.
What adds to the intrigue is that much of the Suns’ leadership from the 2021 team has also changed. Coach Monty Williams was let go and replaced by Frank Vogel, and owner Robert Sarver was ousted and replaced by Mat Ishbia.
Nevertheless, Phoenix fans have reasons to be optimistic, as the trio of Booker, Beal, and Durant, along with some intriguing additions this summer, could offer a better chance at achieving the team’s ultimate goal: securing the franchise’s first-ever championship.