Will The Suns Be Able To Overcome This Massive Issue?
Last summer when the Suns traded their little remaining roster depth for Bradley Beal, It was met with praise and caution.
On one hand, Bradley Beal is an all-star level scorer joining an already potent duo of Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. He can slide in as the third option, facilitate the offense, and provide an offensive spark when needed. The other side was cautious. Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker all have had their injury concerns. Whether or not they are all able to remain healthy enough to create good chemistry for the playoffs is questionable.
Injuries Have Already Plagued The Suns
Bradley Beal was expected to be the star third scorer for the Suns and provide key offense to a roster that is heavily dependent on Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, but he's had injury problems to begin this year. So far into the season, Bradley Beal has only played in six games. In his limited playing time, he's averaging 14 points per game, which is the lowest amount per game since his rookie year.
Going from the number one option with the Wizards to more of a secondary role will take some adjusting, but the Suns big three hasn't had the opportunity to gel yet. The Suns' big three has only played 24 minutes together, and Bradley Beal got injured just last night.
Suns Cannot Overuse Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant in his age 35 season has been as good as ever. Durant is averaging 30 points off of 51% from the field and 48% from three. Clearly, Kevin Durant shows no signs of regressing. However, in his age 35 season, the Suns cannot be overly dependent on Kevin Durant in the regular season. Durant is a proven playoff performer and the Suns' best player, and they will need to manage his minutes.
Currently, Kevin Durant is seventh in minutes in the NBA, with Booker being at eight. Being healthy is the key component for the Suns, and they should prioritize the health of their roster over playoff seeding. If Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal have time to gel come playoff time, they will be an extremely tough beat. However, injuries have kept them from reaching their full potential.
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