As the 2024-25 NBA season unfolds, it’s getting harder to ignore the Phoenix Suns’ struggles. This team just doesn’t feel like the powerhouse we expected after last year. Let’s be honest—it’s starting to look like a disappointing sequel to a blockbuster movie. Even with offseason pickups like Tyus Jones and Ryan Dunn, the improvements have been limited.

The Suns still seem stuck in the mud. And now, they’re actively shopping at their starting center, Jusuf Nurkic, in trade talks. Word is, Phoenix wants to swap Nurkic for another big man. Nurkic is averaging 9.1 points and 9.6 rebounds this season. It’s a far cry from the impact they probably envisioned when they traded for him.

Two names that keep coming up?  Jonas Valanciunas from the Wizards and Nikola Vucevic from the Bulls. It’s clear the Suns are looking to shake things up because what they’ve got right now just isn’t cutting it.

This was reported by Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Monday’s matchup against the Denver Nuggets was rough for Nurkic—and that’s putting it lightly. In just 15 minutes on the floor, Nurkic put up four points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out four assists, and picked up four fouls. His only bucket? A corner three-pointer in the first quarter of what turned into Phoenix’s worst loss of the season, a brutal 117-90 blowout.

The Suns face Denver again Wednesday at Footprint Center in the Christmas Day finale. Sitting 11th in the West, the NBA’s first $400-million roster wouldn’t even make the play-in if playoffs started now. After Monday’s blowout, fans are left wondering: can Phoenix bounce back, or is this team unraveling? Their defense has been a real issue.

Sun’s defense is nothing great even after having the potential to be a top-10 defense in the league

The Suns’ defense is struggling big time this season, ranking 24th in defensive rating at 115.8. Here’s the frustrating part—most teams doing worse defensively are actively tanking for better draft picks. Phoenix? They’re not tanking; they’re supposed to be competing. But even with all their offensive firepower, the defense just isn’t holding up.

To make matters worse, five Suns players—yes, including Devin Booker—are among the bottom 100 in defensive rating out of 511 players this season. That’s a tough stat to digest if you’re a fan.

If this feels familiar, it should. Remember the 2020-21 Brooklyn Nets? They had a similar “big three” in Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. That team lit up the scoreboard but finished 22nd in defensive rating at 113.1. Sure, they dominated the regular season, but their lack of defensive chemistry caught up with them in the playoffs. It’s hard not to see parallels with these Suns.

Phoenix is stuck in 11th place in the West, though they’re only two games away from the sixth seed. The standings are tight. If they don’t fix their defensive woes, that gap might as well be a canyon. It’s wild because Durant is doing his thing—leading the team in points and blocks—but the rest of the squad isn’t matching his energy. The clock’s ticking, and while it’s early, every game matters. You don’t spend $400 million on this kind of mediocrity, right? Fans have every reason to feel frustrated.