Reality continues to grow bleaker for the Phoenix Suns, who have now lost three straight games and seven of their last eight overall after falling to the New Orleans Pelicans 124-116 on Thursday. Heading into the final game of the month, the Suns have just two wins in February and are dropping down the standings at the wrong time of year.
The Suns had high expectations this season with their trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, but the team sits just 11th in the Western Conference with a 27–32 record heading into the latter stretch of the season.
Following the loss to the Pelicans, Booker got honest on what has gone wrong for the Suns this season.
"Skipping over the details and always taking the 'get 'em next game' mentality," Booker told the media on Thursday. "At some point, you got to draw a line and should've been drawn a long time ago."
"Skipping over the details and always taking the 'get 'em next game' mentality. At some point, you got to draw a line and should've been drawn a long time ago." Devin Booker on why Phoenix Suns are 27-32 right now. #Suns pic.twitter.com/Ekgcf2gaKd
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 28, 2025
In somewhat of a contrast to Booker's criticism of the "get 'em next game," mentality, coach Mike Budenholzer said after the game that they need to "keep working" to fix their struggles.
"We've got to make a few more plays on both ends of the court and get over the hump and feel that and then try to build on that," Budenholzer told reporters.
Booker believes one of the solutions to the Suns' woes is talking more and having ongoing communication.
"That's been the story of the season thus far," Booker said. "It can be fixed with just a little more talking I'd say. Things get tough, we get quiet as a team and from my experience and what I've seen, that's not the way to get through it."
"Really tough, but you still want to take away what you see him do every night."
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 28, 2025
Devin Booker on defending Zion Williamson, who posted 27 points, 11 assists and 10 boards in Pelicans win over Suns.
On not executing the game plan: "That's been the story of the season thus far.… pic.twitter.com/aletsq3Dpw
Booker added: "I'd rather two people say the wrong thing to each other out there than nobody talk at all."
Booker and Budenholzer are reportedly not on the same page about talking more, though. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported Friday that Budenholzer brought Booker into his office weeks ago and asked him to tone down how vocal he was on the court and in the huddle.
"I was told that weeks ago Mike Budenholzer called his star guard Devin Booker into his office to issue a complaint," said Haynes. "And that complaint I am told was that Booker was being too vocal on the court and during timeout huddles. He implored his star guard to tone it down to allow for the coach's voice to be heard. This completely shocked Booker, I was told."
At the very least it appears that not all of the Suns are on the same page, and that does not look like it will bode well for Phoenix over the final months of the season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Devin Booker Gives Scathing Review of Suns' Shortcomings This Season.
