Ahead of the new NBA season, CBS Sports has released their top 100 players. To no surprise, the Phoenix Suns’ big three, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, have all earned a spot on the list. But where do they rank?
3 Phoenix Suns Stars Named in CBS’ Top 100 Players
69. Bradley Beal
The Suns’ latest star acquisition, Bradley Beal, lands at 69 in CBS’ top 100. It was an injury-riddled first season in Phoenix, as he missed a total of 29 games due to a variety of issues with his back, ankle, and hamstring. He also suffered from a broken nose and a finger sprain.
Beal’s various absences confirmed pre-season fears of an injury-prone big three, possibly contributing to a fall of 31 places from his previous rank. However, he produced when he was on the court, enjoying the most efficient year of his career to date. In 53 games, he averaged 18.2 points with 5.0 assists, but shot 51.3% from the field and 43% from three. These were both career highs.
Playing alongside two of the best in the game Durant and Booker has no doubt helped his numbers. With a lot of the defensive attention on his two teammates, it leaves Beal open at a greater rate. His ability to drive to the rim gives the team a different dimension, which is crucial for a mid-range-reliant offense.
As one of the team’s point guards, Beal shared creative responsibilities with Booker. It was a new role for him, having to take a step back from scoring and sacrifice touches. With the addition of Tyus Jones Beal will have fewer ball-handling responsibilities. Although, he accepted the challenge and also provided clutch defense down the stretch of the regular season. The view of Beal’s campaign was tainted by his and the team’s performance in the four-game sweep by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round so they will be desperate to put that right.
14. Devin Booker
At 14 in CBS’ top 100 is Devin Booker, the face of the Suns franchise. He has dropped six places from last season’s ranking, which may come as a surprise. Like Beal, Booker adopted a new role within the Suns side, playing point guard for most of the campaign. He performed the role admirably, achieving a career-high in assists with 6.9 per game. It also did not take away from his scoring capabilities, as he averaged 27.1 points, the joint-sixth highest in the league.
It was a stellar offseason for Booker, winning a gold medal with Team USA at the Paris Olympics. He was a starter for coach Steve Kerr and showcased he could play any role asked of him. Used to being a primary ball handler for the Suns, he had to adapt and play to the needs of bigger superstars such as LeBron James and Steph Curry. Booker provided clutch buckets and defense at crucial times, as he was an important figure in the nation’s success.
As a result, he gained much more respect within the basketball world, despite his fall from CBS’ list. Booker can drop 40+ points on any given night, which is a scary thought for opposition defenses with Durant and Beal also to contend with. Last season, Booker owned three of the top 10 scoring performances, headlined by a 62-point outing against the Indiana Pacers in January. He also scored 52 points on two occasions. With true point guards now on the roster in Tyus Jones and Monte Morris, these huge outbursts could be even more frequent.
Now entering year 10 of his career, Booker will hope to lead the Suns to that elusive first championship. They reached the NBA finals in 2021, but have endured three disappointing postseasons since.
9. Kevin Durant
Despite having an incredible individual season, Kevin Durant dropped four places to ninth in CBS’ top 100 players. Durant had his healthiest year since he left the Golden State Warriors, missing just seven games. When the Suns were without Booker and Beal throughout the campaign, the 35-year-old carried his side to victory. He was perhaps the biggest reason why the team won 49 games.
In his 75 games, he averaged 27.1 points, joint-sixth in the league with Booker, at a very efficient 52.3%. While the season ended disastrously with a four-game sweep in the first round, he and Booker have formed a formidable duo during his short time in Phoenix. Alongside his teammate, they won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. In the process, Durant became the most successful basketball Olympian ever. This was his record-breaking fourth gold medal, and he also surpassed Lisa Leslie for the most points in Team USA Olympic history with 518.
After his blockbuster trade to Phoenix from the Brooklyn Nets in February 2022, Durant will be desperate to finally taste some postseason success in a Suns jersey. His first season with the team ended in a second-round loss to the Denver Nuggets, though he had only played in eight regular season games with his new team. He and the team are now looking to avenge a first-round exit.
Should he remain healthy once more, expect another impressive season from Durant. He has shown few signs of slowing down and has even embraced the added defensive responsibility he has been given. Last season he often took on the task of guarding the opposition’s best player, whilst simultaneously dominating at the offensive end. With a more well-rounded roster under new head coach Mike Budenholzer, the hope is that he will not have to exert as much energy at either end, but the ability and drive are certainly still there should he need to.
