The Phoenix Suns are showing signs of life with seven wins in their last ten games, pushing them above .500. However, uncertainty looms as they kick off a three-game homestand against the struggling Washington Wizards on Saturday night.
Rumors are swirling that the Suns might be looking to acquire Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat to join their star duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Interestingly, the Suns already had a “Big Three” with Durant, Booker, and Bradley Beal, who has missed 42 regular-season games in his 1.5 seasons with Phoenix due to injuries. Beal, currently nursing a left ankle sprain, missed Wednesday’s 108-84 win over the Brooklyn Nets but showed progress on Friday and is listed as probable for Saturday’s game against his former team.
Beal averaged over 22 points per game in each of his last seven seasons with Washington, but his scoring has dipped to 18.2 points per game last season and 17.1 points this season with the Suns. He was recently demoted to the reserve unit and is a potential trade candidate before the February 6 deadline.
Booker shone in the win over the Nets, scoring 32 points, while Durant added 24 points, extending his streak of scoring at least 20 points in 20 consecutive games. New addition Nick Richards, acquired from the Charlotte Hornets, had 15 rebounds in 22 minutes and is averaging 11 points and 10 rebounds in three games with the Suns.
The Wizards, on the other hand, are in the midst of a 12-game losing streak and have dropped 16 straight games at one point this season. They have been struggling on their current six-game road trip, losing all four games, including a 110-93 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. Jordan Poole had 24 points and nine assists, while Bilal Coulibaly added 15 points and three steals, but the team has been plagued by slow starts.
Phoenix has won the past three meetings with Washington, including a 130-123 road win on January 16, where Booker scored 37 points.
