Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images The end is near. My fingers have nearly reached their creative maximum output capacity. There isn’t much more they can produce relative to the 2023-24 Phoenix Suns. The passion has dwindled into a soft flame in a dark house of horrors we know and understand as Suns fandom. It shines, but the only light it casts is upon the memories of hope and the shadows of reality. The 2023-24 Suns will be remembered for their utter lack of execution. As the team that could not get it right, nor did it appear they cared to do so. The Suns were a year too late in attempting to build a Big Three — or perhaps a decade too late — and we will pay for it for the next decade as they attempt to pick up the shattered pieces of our hopes and piece together a contender. A draft awaits with a pick Phoenix actually controls, and we will closely pay attention to who they add, knowing that there is no needle mover left at 22. It will be the contract of a player who will never develop in a system that cares not about young talent, even as the NBA around them is being overtaken by young superstars flooding the port and starboard sides like the arms of a Kraken hell-bent on swallowing the Suns whole. We’ll watch and wonder what might have been as we fight off those who carry hate for a franchise that has never won anything or hurt anyone’s feelings. Once more unto the breach, dear Phoenix friends. Frank Vogel may find himself in the unemployment line before May has begun, taking the blame for a culture of players who deflect accountability. His offensively-minded associate coach is headed to the Utah hills to find a way to execute an offense that wants to believe in his schemes, not to be held hostage by stars who live to shoot in the mid-range until it matters in the postseason. Phoenix will run it back next season. It’s the only option they have. Yes, we will spend a summer concocting imaginary trades and unreasonable outs for this organization. Trade Devin Booker? Send Kevin Durant away? Have Ishbia buy out Bradley Beal? All of these thoughts will cross our minds and exit our lips. Because we are fans. Because we want victory. Because we care to fix what has been broken. Once more unto the breach, dear Phoenix friends. Tonight the Suns may play their final game in a season that carried unbridled optimism. Even if a victory is achieved this evening, we know the season is gone. Another wasted year of talent. Another season has gone by without fulfillment. We care, and we always will. Although we receive no love in return, just torment and grief, inner-fan base arguing, and wagon circling. I know it hurts. I know it disappoints. I know that we feel an undescribable emptiness in the pit of our stomach that lives next to the enlarged livers we possess due to self-medication brought on by watching this franchise. I know that we will once again watch as another team hoists the Larry O’Brien trophy with envy. All we have is each other and the shared thread of simultaneous optimism, depression, observation, criticism, solutions, and insanity. We bleed purple and orange for reasons as unique as each of you reading this. We find commonality in this aspect of our human experience. And so I say unto thee, as we carry our demoralized enthusiasm and scarred hearts into what could be the final game of the 2023-24 season, knowing that we will see each other on the side... Once more unto the breach, dear Phoenix friends. Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2024 ... a-playoffs