Trade deadline passes with no big moves for struggling Suns

The NBA trade deadline passed with a whole lot of nothing for the Phoenix Suns, who look like a team that's sorely in need of a revamp.

Catch up quick: Phoenix started the season with high hopes after several years of unmet expectations, only to struggle through injuries and lackluster performance.

The big picture: The Suns were looking to make a big move ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.

• Jimmy Butler, who wanted to leave the Miami Heat, appeared to top the list of contenders.
• The Suns also got calls this week from teams that wanted to trade for superstar Kevin Durant.
• For now, it looks like the Suns will move forward with the Big 3: Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Durant.

Yes, but: The Golden State Warriors won the Butler sweepstakes, sending Andrew Wiggins, P.J. Tucker and a first-round draft pick to Miami in return.

• Beal's no-trade clause was a stumbling block as Phoenix tried to woo Butler and no trades for Durant materialized.

Why it matters: It feels like the Suns' contender status has faded, with little hope of turning things around without sizable change.

Threat level: Phoenix is 10th in the Western Conference, clinging to the last play-in spot for the postseason.

• Just behind the Suns are the Warriors, who seem likely to move up in the standings now that they've got Butler.
• And behind Golden State are the San Antonio Spurs, whose playoff prospects likely improved with the addition of point guard De'Aaron Fox.

Zoom in: The Suns weren't completely inactive at the trade deadline, sending center Jusuf Nurkic to the Charlotte Hornets for forward Cody Martin, guard Vasilije Micic and a 2026 second-round draft pick.

• It was Phoenix's second recent trade with Charlotte after sending Josh Okogie and three second-rounders to the Hornets for center Nick Richards last month.

The intrigue: The atmosphere around the team was "toxic" on Wednesday before the Suns' blowout loss to Oklahoma City, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

• Now the team has to figure out "how do you move forward as a team when there was a clear mandate here that they have to do something?" Shelburne said.
• ESPN's Shams Charania reported the recent trade talk was "blindsiding" to Durant.

What's next: NBA insider Chris Haynes said "the Suns feel like they can go in[to] the second half with just the future of guys being a little more certain now. They feel likely, hopefully, that can lead to transitioning to winning on the court.''

Flashback: The Suns not only had to see the rival Lakers land superstar Luka Doncic in one the most blockbuster trades in NBA history, but received an unwelcome reminder that they passed on him with the first pick in the 2018 NBA draft.

1 good thing: If Suns fans get nothing else out of the 2024-25 season, at least we got that sweet City Edition court with the leaning saguaro logo and gecko designs, along with the retro jerseys.