The Phoenix Suns and new owner Mat Ishbia have gone all-in to establish themselves as the new offensive powerhouse of the Western Conference. Featuring a trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal unquestionably carries championship potential, but numerous concerns continue to linger surrounding this roster.
Those concerns start with defense. Over the past decade, the Denver Nuggets stand as the only team to win an NBA championship without ranking in the top 12 in defensive rating.
“I would say the biggest individual piece is getting back to being one of the best two-way players in the league,” newly acquired All-Star Beal said, via SLAM. “Showing that I can really compete at a high level and play a meaningful game.”
It’s intriguing to hear this from Beal, who really has never been regarded as an elite two-way player at any point in his career. He’s consistently displayed a deep offensive bag as a three-level scorer, but beyond that, his career contributions don’t feature much else.
In fact, during Beal’s 11-year career, only two seasons have seen him achieve positive defensive plus/minus (DPM) — his rookie (0.2) and third year (0.2). It’s been nearly a decade since he’s served as even a marginally positive contributor on defense.
Last season, Beal’s DPM was down to -1.2. Additionally, he hasn’t averaged more than 1.6 stocks (steals + blocks) per game since 2018-19. Beal averaged 1.6 last season, which is fine but nothing near “elite” two-way play.
Apart from Durant and Josh Okogie (who significantly struggles offensively), this team is sorely missing additional stalwart defenders, both on the perimeter and in the paint. If KD turns out to be the team’s best defender in a closing lineup, this could be a significant issue.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
