On Sunday night, the Phoenix Suns will host the Houston Rockets in a must-win game. It seems like every game this season has fallen into that category for the Suns, but with eight games left and a game separating them and the Sacramento Kings for the last spot in the Play-In Tournament, the Suns have their back against the wall.
Two summers ago, the Suns traded for Bradley Beal with the hopes of forming a premier "Big Three" alongside Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. So far, it hasn't worked at all, as the Suns got bounced in the first round last season and look poised to miss the postseason this year.
Ahead of the matchup against the Rockets, Beal is listed on the injury report.
Beal won't play due to a nagging hamstring issue that has kept him out for the previous six games. Houston also has a short injury report. Tari Eason is getting the night off, and Reed Sheppard is questionable with a thumb injury.
In a must-win contest, sitting Beal might be the smart thing. The 35-39 Suns are actually 14-12 when Beal doesn't play this season. The Suns seem to believe in their duo of Booker and Durant, but Beal's no-trade clause makes moving him an impossibility, forcing the Suns to blow up their roster this offseason.
After trying--and failing--to trade both Beal and Durant before the trade deadline, the Suns are expected to part ways with at least Durant this summer. Maybe Beal will decide to waive his no-trade clause, although it's hard to imagine anyone being interested in taking on the remainder of his contract.
Related: Ex-NBA Player Says Suns Must Keep Kevin Durant, Devin Booker for Their 'Best Interest'
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 MTC and the Suns are two-point underdogs according to FanDuel. Houston has a 2-0 advantage in the season series.
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This story was originally published March 30, 2025 at 4:22 PM.