As the 2025 NBA trade deadline approaches, teams with unsettled stars are on high alert. The Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler seem headed for an ugly split, Myles Turner and the Indiana Pacers face the challenge of an expiring contract, and De’Aaron Fox’s situation with the Sacramento Kings has become a confusing trade saga.
For the Phoenix Suns, Fox’s trade drama is the most concerning of all—it might be a glimpse into their own future.
Phoenix and Sacramento find themselves in eerily similar positions as they enter the latter half of the 2024-25 season. Separated by just 0.5 games in the standings, both teams boast three All-Stars in their lineups.
Unfortunately, both are also on course to fight for a playoff spot through the Play-In Tournament, a scenario that would turn their seasons into massive disappointments.
There’s still time for both teams to turn things around and prove the skeptics wrong. However, if the Fox situation has shown anything, it’s that a roster loaded with star power but failing to meet expectations can quickly spiral into locker room turmoil.
For the Suns, that concern could manifest in the form of Bradley Beal—or even franchise cornerstones Devin Booker or Kevin Durant.
Fox-Kings Drama Shows How Fast the Suns Could Unravel
On paper, Phoenix possesses a formidable trio in Beal, Booker, and Durant. Durant is a two-time NBA champion, Booker has already reached the Finals, and Beal is a former All-NBA player.
Together, they’ve racked up a combined 62,317 regular-season points and have each delivered iconic playoff performances.
However, their collective talent has yet to yield the expected results. The Suns have lost eight of their last 10 postseason games and haven’t advanced beyond the second round since making the Finals in 2021.
Head coach Mike Budenholzer is in his first year leading the team, but early signs indicate Phoenix might be headed toward a similar fate as Sacramento.
If their struggles continue, it wouldn’t be surprising to see one of their stars seek a way out. At 36, Durant is battling time, Beal is 31 and has played just nine playoff games since 2018, and Booker—despite being only 28—has already come painfully close to winning a title in 2021.
With Phoenix on its third coach in three seasons and far removed from its dominant 64-win campaign in 2021-22, concerns are mounting. Though their recent 9-3 run offers a glimmer of hope, it remains to be seen if it’s enough to quiet the trade rumors as the deadline looms.
To make matters worse, ongoing speculation about Jimmy Butler could disrupt team chemistry even further. Whether they realize it or not, the Suns might be much closer to Sacramento’s reality than they’d like to admit.
