The Phoenix Suns did not make the Conference Finals, nor did they even make the NBA playoffs despite boasting Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and a title-winning coach in Mike Budenholzer.
On Saturday, the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks to set up a Finals date with the Oklahoma City Thunder, with tipoff for Game 1 slated for June 5. Indiana and Oklahoma City, regardless of what happens in the Finals, have a bright future ahead of them, and the Suns, on the other hand, are staring down a bleak few seasons.
While the Suns are expected to trade Kevin Durant this offseason, their massive payroll is still the talk of the NBA world.
Dec 15, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives on Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) in the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Dec 15, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives on Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) in the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
© Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Suns' Payroll is Embarrassingly High
The Suns' roster cost them $214,371,340 this season, easily the most expensive in the league, although it gets even more embarrassing for Phoenix, especially considering how disappointing their season was.
"I believe that the Pacers and Thunder payroll, total payroll combined, is less than what Phoenix paid this year," said ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks. "I'm sorry for my Suns fans out there, because I'm casting you a stray."
Marks is right. After the $188.49 million in luxury taxes the Suns paid this season, their final cost to field a 36-win team was $402.86 million.
The Thunder and Pacers, both of whom won at least 14 more games than the Suns, spent a combined $334.12 million on their roster, avoiding the luxury taxes completely.
Both teams built mostly through the draft and savvy trades for role-players or players on rookie contracts instead of shelling out massive sums for expensive stars who don't fit well.
Neither the Suns, Thunder, nor Pacers have won the NBA Finals in their franchise history, although the Pacers and Thunder are expected to be in the mix for the next several seasons. The Suns, on the other hand, remain the laughing stock of the NBA.
Check out the Inside the Suns homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.