Devin Booker and Kevin Durant might not be the answer for Phoenix

It’s not the coach. It’s the Durant/Booker duo that isn’t built to get the job done.

I’m not buying into the idea that the Phoenix Suns need to move on from Head Coach Mike Budenholzer, and for one reason: I hold the players accountable for not reaching their full potential.

When we looked at this team on paper at the start of the season, it was a championship-caliber roster. On paper, yes. But mentally, this team has been unable to put pressure on itself or demonstrate the high basketball IQ needed to close out games. Instead, they allow the opposing star — like De’Aaron Fox on Thursday night against the San Antonio Spurs — to take over, while Devin Booker and Kevin Durant stand by, watching, unable to respond.

Why? Because they aren’t good enough to match the competition. And yet, we continue to believe that adding better players around them or acquiring a center like Nick Richards will be enough—just because we have Booker and Durant.

It’s not happening, and it won’t. I can’t buy into that belief. I’ll even go as far as to say that if Bradley Beal were healthier, he might be a better option to start in Booker’s place—just to see if that’s what this team needs to improve its position in the West. If not, maybe it’s time to consider trading both Booker and Durant.

I would hate to trade Booker because it would be an emotional move. We have so much invested in him. I would hate to trade Durant because he’s Durant, a master of the game. But the reality is, we cannot win with them.

If we keep bringing in different role players or hiring a new coach, the same outcome will repeat itself next year. And once again, we’ll blame the coach. Maybe next year’s coach will be younger and more relatable to the players, but it won’t matter. This team is built around Booker and Durant, two players who simply don’t have enough to compete at a high level night in and night out to win consistently.

It’s beyond frustrating because I wanted this to work so badly. I truly believed that once we added Beal, we were set for a great 3-4 year stretch. But that hasn’t been the case.

The only constant? Durant and Booker.

What does make sense, is if Durant was on a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder that needs that one piece and Durant can just ball. That would equal wins, and maybe a championship.

I know we want to search for excuses. Why didn’t we play Ryan Dunn more? Why didn’t other role players step up to put Durant and Booker in a better position to win? I’m tired of it. I really am. Sorry.

I just can’t do this again next year. Booker and Durant are great, but maybe Durant needs to play alongside an elite talent like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and take on a number two role. And maybe Booker is best suited as the third option on a championship team, like the Memphis Grizzlies with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Those are tough words to write, but outside of a few stretches this season, I haven’t seen anything convincing. Durant as our true number one and Booker as his sidekick hasn’t consistently led to success.

I’m frustrated. I don’t want to keep debating whether Dunn needs more minutes. If he plays more and it leads to wins, great! But even when he was getting minutes at the start of 2025, the team went 7-7 during that stretch. Maybe I’m wrong. But that’s still just .500 basketball. And the idea that Dunn needs to step up and win us games? That’s not the real issue.

I want to see Dunn play, but only for his development—because at this point, that’s all we really have to look forward to for the rest of the season.

P.S.

I don’t hate Booker, and I don’t hate Durant. I hate that we can’t win with them.

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