Last summer, the Suns offloaded two players making over $50M, including one of the most gifted scorers in NBA history.

Surely they’ve taken a step back this season.

Right?

Today’s Lineup

🎉 Happy birthday Dominique Wilkins, Xavier Tillman, and Campy Russell! 🎉

Game Recaps

Suns blow by Wizards 112-93 as Booker, Brooks, O’Neale each score 16+

Sometimes in the NBA, less is more.

After moving on from Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in the offseason, money math would suggest that this year’s Suns would decline. The opposite has been true, with Devin Booker leading a new-look Phoenix squad to a 24-15 record including wins in 9 of their last 11 games.

On Sunday, the Suns made quick work of Washington thanks to solid games from Book (17 PTS, 8 AST), Dillon Brooks (16 PTS), and Royce O’Neale (19 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST). Though Washington made a splash earlier this week with their acquisition of Trae Young, the four-time All-Star may not see the floor much for the Wiz this season. That leaves their young studs to fend for themselves, and against Phoenix, they showed promising flashes— Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, and Bila Coulibaly all scored 12+ PTS.

This Suns squad could be dangerous come playoff time 👀

Wolves battle back from down 19, beat Spurs 104-103

Spurs-Thunder isn’t the only rivalry brewing between top teams out West.

On Sunday night, Minnesota defended their homecourt with a 19-point comeback victory over San Antonio, one fueled by clutch stops down the stretch and a team effort scoring the ball. Anthony Edwards led the way with 23 PTS, but the Wolves also had five other double-digit scorers including two off the bench.

After an Ant jumper gave Minnesota put Minnesota ahead with 16.8 seconds left, the Spurs got three bites at the apple to take the lead back: a Wemby jumper, a Luke Kornet tip, and a De’Aaron Fox three, all of which were no good, giving the Wolves the win. San Antonio is now 5-5 in their last 10, though they still hold the West’s #2 seed with a 1-game lead over Denver and a 1.5-game lead over Minnesota.

And by the way, Ant made a stop at the BANK on the way to his game-winner.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

• Losing Nikola Jokic is unideal for any team, but the three-time MVP’s absence has allowed some of Denver’s other players to emerge. Namely, Peyton Watson has been balling out for a resilient Nuggets squad, most recently dropping 19 PTS, 8 REB, and 6 AST in a 108-104 win over Milwaukee. Denver also got 25 PTS from Tim Hardaway Jr. and 23 from Aaron Gordon.

• When Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler combine for 61 PTS, it usually means good things for the Warriors. But on Sunday, Golden State fell short in a 124-111 loss to Atlanta. The Hawks were buoyed by big games from Jalen Johnson (23 PTS, 11 REB, 6 AST), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (24 PTS), and Luke Kennard (22 PTS, six threes).

• In a matchup of East playoff squads, Toronto got the better of Philly 116-115 in overtime thanks to a game-winning free throw from Scottie Barnes in the final second. That point was one of 31 on the night for Barnes, who provided most of the offense for a Raptors team shooting a season-worst 15.6% from three-point range. The Sixers, who were without Joel Embiid and Paul George, got 38 PTS from Tyrese Maxey but turned the ball over 22 times and notched just 11 AST.

• OKC is back to its winning ways after its toughest stretch of the season so far, moving to a league-best 33-7 after a comfortable 124-112 win over Miami. Shai (29 PTS, 8 AST, 5 REB) led the Thunder to their third straight victory, overcoming a hot perimeter shooting night that saw Andrew Wiggins nail 7/10 from beyond and the Heat as a team shoot 53%.

Grizzlies to “entertain” trade offers for Ja Morant

Less than a week after one former All-Star guard found a new home, another may be on his way out the door.

On Friday, Shams reported that the Grizzlies were reportedly entertaining trade offers for their star PG, the latest in a back-and-forth saga between Memphis and the two-time All-Star.

Morant, one of just eight players to average more than 22 PPG and 7 APG for his career, has been a cornerstone of the franchise since winning Rookie of the Year in 2019. But earlier this season, he was suspended by the team for one game following an exchange with head coach Tuomas Iiasalo. Morant has also been plagued by injuries in recent years, including a string of issues that have limited him to just 18 games this season.

Whether or not the Grizz will actually move on from the longtime face of the franchise remains to be seen, but it’s a storyline to watch as the trade deadline approaches.

Let’s break down three potential destinations 👇

1. ❄️ A New King of the North?

The Raptors have been one of the league’s most pleasant surprises this season, racing out to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference behind the emergence of young stars like Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett. Last year, we saw Toronto take a swing to improve by adding Brandon Ingram. Could they do the same with Ja? The Raptors own their first round draft picks for the foreseeable future and have another young point guard, Immanuel Quickley, who could serve as a Morant replacement for Memphis if included in the swap.

2. 🔥 Ja in South Beach?

Pat Riley and the Heat have swung and missed on many of the league’s available stars in recent offseason, but a Morant deal could allow Miami to elevate its ceiling without totally mortgaging its future. While the Heat’s fast-paced style has brought some upside, they rank 22nd in offensive rating this season and could use the injection of juice Morant provides. The major hang-up could by Tyler Herro— Memphis may look to switch one All-Star guard for another, but giving him up would cost Miami one of its most consistent producers.

3. 👀 Brooklyn Bound?

This option is a bit of a wild card given that the Nets appear firmly situated in rebuilding mode and could hold off on making major moves until at least this summer. But the same could’ve been said about the Wizards, who took a step toward greater competitiveness in acquiring Young. Brooklyn is significantly improved since the start of the season but hasn’t yet found places in the rotation for all five of its 2025 first-round draft picks. One or more of those players could serve as the basis of a deal for Morant that suddenly thrusts the Nets toward East relevance.

Three in the Key

Signing Off

And we out! Thanks for spending a portion of your day with us. This week, go out of your way to try something new in your daily routine. Whether it’s a new album, a new coffee shop, or a new show, variety is the spice of life! See you soon.

Walker Carnathan