Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports The Phoenix Suns regular season was an indicator an embarrassing playoff outing was in the cards. ‘Twas the night of Game 3 at the Footprint Center. The Wolves and the Suns played, wrestled, and bantered. As the game and the third quarter went on, so did Phoenix’s chances of moving on. Now down 3-0 in the series of the first round, it appears the Valley’s squad is going down. Am I stunned that the Suns are on the verge of getting swept tonight? Absolutely not. As great as the Suns have shown to be, they are unreliable. There’s no way around it, the 2023-2024 Phoenix Suns left breadcrumbs throughout the regular season that they were susceptible to getting their butt-kicked in the playoffs. The blown fourth-quarter leads, inexplicable losses, and inconsistent energy were the writings on the wall. No matter how or when the Suns season ends, the team is a reminder that championships are not won in September or on paper. They are won with consistent play, cohesiveness, and superstars. Just as much as victories against the Denver Nuggets with Devin Booker out showed the team’s ability, losses against the San Antonio Spurs with Victor Wembanyama sidelined showed their lack of reliability. Throughout the year, the Minnesota Timberwolves remained consistent, focused and determined. When Karl Anthony-Towns got hurt in early March, Minnesota found a way to go 12-6 during the All-Star’s absence. When the Suns’ second-best player, Devin Booker, missed 14 games this season, the team went just 6-8. I don’t think drastic changes should be made in the offseason. One of the reasons Minnesota is playing their best basketball right now is because of their continuity. While Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley have been in Minnesota for just two seasons now, both have familiarity with playing each other while Jaden McDaniels, Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid, and Towns have all been with the Wolves for at least four years. One way the Suns can improve for next year is by establishing more continuity. Another season with Frank Vogel under the helm will help the team improve more defensively and fortify more of a team identity. While a point guard would be nice, who is Phoenix going to get that could truly make a difference when they can only offer minimum contracts? The only name that comes to mind is Chris Paul, but that remains a long shot still. Paul has a non-guaranteed team option with the Golden State Warriors next year for around 30 million dollars and if it’s declined, what’s to say he is going to want to take a minimum? He’s not the player he was when he led the Suns to the Finals in 2021, but his play resembles a talent deserving of a mid-level exception more than a minimum contract player. Lacking long-term assets, this is the team the Suns have for the foreseeable future. Their 2023-2024 identity does not have to be who they are next year, but they need to find ways to become more like the Timberwolves; consistently playing passionately, cohesively, and attentively. Let’s see how this year of Suns Basketball officially ends, will it conclude tonight? Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2024 ... oenix-suns