Phoenix Suns: 3 offseason steps to take after embarrassing playoff exit

After a 64-18 record in the regular season, most expected the Phoenix Suns to dominate the Western Conference playoffs, on their way to avenging last year’s loss in the finals to the Milwaukee Bucks. That obviously didn’t happen, losing game seven of the Western Conference semifinals on their home floor by 33 points to the Dallas Mavericks.

So what’s next for the Phoenix Suns?

After the acquisition of Chris Paul, this team signaled to the league that they were trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2009. They were close in the bubble just one season prior, not dropping a single one of their eight contests, but were too far behind in the standings before the pandemic to clinch their spot.

The addition of CP3 has undoubtedly done wonders for the franchise, as nobody thought the veteran leadership and clutch performances would be this impactful on a young team. The Suns established themselves as a true championship contender after an impressive finals run, albeit while benefitting from some injury luck. They had an actual championship window for a team that had not seen success in over a decade.

Until this season, when they seemingly ran out of gas after the regular season, with stars like Paul, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton simply underperforming. How do the Suns move on from this catastrophe of epic proportions? This was as embarrassing a playoff performance in the history of the National Basketball Association.

The Mavericks led by as many as 46 points. They never relinquished the lead. Luka Doncic scored 27 points in the first half, while Phoenix scored 27 as a team. This loss could be the end of the competitive window for the franchise. On the other hand, this could be an opportunity to change the culture and regroup for next season.