While one win isn’t going to change the mood overnight in Phoenix it will certainly help provide a much-needed boost of confidence.
The Suns secured just their second win in seven games with a 123-115 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks came into the game still riding a wave from Trae Young’s breathtaking buzzer-beater, however, it was a Grayson Allen-inspired Suns who were victorious.
Bradley Beal has been put to the bench as the side looks to trade him, while Jusuf Nurkic was removed from the squad entirely.
Although Beal top-scored from the bench with 25 points, perhaps showing the Suns what he still has to offer, it was Grayson Allen’s display that caught the eye.
Boasting the talents of Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant it can often be tricky for other Suns’ players to get a look in.
However, the Big 3 have struggled to work well as a team and the Suns are desperately looking for answers, a trade for Butler has been mentioned as a potential solution.
It appears though that Grayson Allen is ready to step up and help the team out of their current slump, which sees them sit 12th in the Western Conference with a 17-19 record.
The former NCAA Champion at Duke has been with the Suns for two seasons having moved from the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023.
Allen dropped 23 points, a season-high, along with two rebounds and 1 assist in the much-needed victory.
The 29-year-old was shooting with clinical accuracy as he went 7-8 on field goals and 5-6 from 3-point range, not bad for someone who averages just 10.8 points this season.
He was also 100% from the free-throw line as he drained 4-4. He has found his minutes down this season as the team seems to be favoring the rookie, Ryan Dunn.
There is a lot of uncertainty at the Suns currently with the futures of numerous players up in the air.
Both Beal and Nurkic look like they are being forced out of the side as the Suns look to change their fortunes.
Having unsettled stars in your side can be tricky for others to deal with and it can impact the locker room in an extremely detrimental way.
Booker recently shared his surprise by the decision to drop Beal and Nurkic and Allen has also expressed the impact the uncertainty around the team has had on players.
Allen said: “A little bit. Like, maybe guys individually. Again, this is one of those things, winning fixes everything. And if we’re winning games, a lot of stuff going on would be a lot easier.”
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