The Suns entered the 2024-25 season with championship aspirations. They haven’t gotten close to that goal yet, which is why they’re prepared to make some significant changes.
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, rookie Ryan Dunn and Mason Plumlee will take Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic’s spots in the starting lineup.
The news came after Phoenix lost seven of eight games, dropping to 15-18 on the season. Haynes described “tension” in the locker room.
Will the changes work, and what does the shift mean for Beal’s future in Phoenix?
Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic Suns benching, explained
The Suns don’t have many opportunities to improve. They’ve already changed their coach. Their roster is stuck because they are a second-apron team. Changing the starting lineup is the final lever they can pull.
Beal is still a good player, but his role on the Suns has not been particularly effective. This season, he averages 17.8 points per game and shoots 39.2 percent from three.
However, his defense has deteriorated significantly, with the Suns ranking 23rd on that end of the floor. Beal also finds himself trying to do too much at this point in his career, including attempting to serve as a facilitator.
Dunn is not a better player than Beal, but he fits better with the starters. After a blistering shooting start, his 3-point percentage has dropped to 30.2 percent.
But he always brings a high defensive intensity, and he’s the type of underutilized role player who can help Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
The big three of Beal, Booker, and Durant were hyped, but Durant and Booker have performed far better without Beal than with him. This change is worth trying.
Nurkic has performed worse than Beal. His 8.8 points per game are the lowest he has had since his second year in the league, as is his 45.2% field goal percentage.
He has attempted to extend his range to three more times this season, but he is only hitting 30.4 percent of his long-range shots, and his rim finishing is poor.
He has not played at the starter level. The issue is that the Suns do not have anyone behind him.
Plumlee retired as a serviceable veteran a decade ago. At 34, he should not be starting games for any team, let alone one with such lofty goals as the Suns.
The Suns were losing minutes when Nurkic was on the floor, outscoring them by 4.7 points per 100 possessions. They may have felt compelled to try something. However, this is unlikely to work well.
Bradley Beal’s role in a Jimmy Butler trade
There could be an ulterior motive behind these lineup changes: Phoenix needs to make some trades to become a true championship contender, and Beal’s $50.2 million salary is the most effective way to add talent.
What complicates the situation is that Beal and James are the only players in the league who have negotiated no-trade clauses into their contracts.
Even if the Suns have a trade in the works that would improve their situation (hello, Jimmy Butler), Beal has the ability to scuttle any deal.
Moving Beal to the bench may therefore encourage him to waive his no-trade clause. If he wants to remain a starter in the league, he may need to look elsewhere.
Even if Beal wants to leave the Suns, it will be difficult to move his contract. No team will want to pay him the $161 million remaining on his contract for the next three seasons. And the Suns can only offer one first-round pick in a trade.
Of course, they will still try. Their task will be simplified if Beal is willing to look for a better situation elsewhere.
