Three major questions facing financially cornered Suns

The Phoenix Suns find themselves at a critical crossroads after they had their championship-or-bust season ended by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs. 

With salary cap and luxury tax issues and an already thin roster, the Suns face tough decisions on how to address their shortcomings and shape their direction. 

Here are three major questions the team faces.

What should the Suns do with the 'Big Three'?

One option is to keep the expensive core of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker intact. The Suns owe the "Big Three" $150 million in salary for the 2024-25 season, thus limiting how the team can build around them. The remainder of the roster is filled with lower-priced (and less talented) players.

The Suns went 49-33 during the regular season, but this top-heavy team clearly didn't work well together in the postseason.

Next season, Phoenix must hope for good health for Booker, who played 68 of 82 regular-season games and averaged 27.1 points and a career-high 6.9 assists in 36 minutes per game. 

In 2024-25, the Suns also need good health for 30-year-old Beal, who played in 53 games in his first season with Phoenix, his most since 2020-21. Keeping the "Big Three" together offers the advantage of an entire offseason to refine chemistry and cohesion.

Alternatively, the Suns could explore roster changes by trading one of their star players, Durant or Booker. Beal retained his no-trade clause for the Washington Wizards, making him unlikely to be moved. 

Trade speculation about Booker's potential interest in joining the New York Knicks has surfaced. But there have also been reports refuting that speculation. 

For Durant, a possible return to the Golden State Warriors is not out of the question.

Should they make head-coaching change?

Another question involves a potential coaching change, as Frank Vogel faces scrutiny after the team's playoff disappointment.

Despite Vogel's championship pedigree — he won a title with the Lakers in 2020 — questions persist about his ability to maximize the talent of a  star-studded lineup and address other on-court issues, including a league-worst offensive efficiency in the fourth quarter (per ESPN's Brian Windhorst).

Per The Athletic's Shams Charania, Vogel ripped the team following a loss to the Clippers on April 9, raising eyebrows among players.