Another coaching change on way for setting Suns?

The Phoenix Suns are on the verge of elimination from playoff contention after dropping their sixth consecutive game Sunday night in New York, as written by Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

The Suns have been winless since Kevin Durant sprained his left ankle last weekend, and while there is optimism surrounding his potential return, time is running out. With a 35-43 record, the Suns now find themselves needing to catch either the Sacramento Kings (38-40) or Dallas Mavericks (38-41) to secure a postseason berth.

As Rankin details, Sunday’s loss was emblematic of the team’s recent struggles. Phoenix remained competitive throughout much of the game, but yet again found a way to fall short. The most glaring issue was their poor three-point shooting performance, as the Suns– who rank third in the league at 38% — finished a dismal 4-of-34 from beyond the arc.

Despite the bleak outlook, Devin Booker remains fairly optimistic, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus during the final four games of the season.

“Same approach, man. I keep saying for the love of the game,” Booker said. “You never play with this sport. This is our lives. Whatever the situation is, whether we’re in or out, we’re going to give it our all and do what we can do.”

As the season nears its end, attention has already shifted to the Suns’ plans for the summer.

Rankin predicts another coaching change, even though Mike Budenholzer was hired just last May.

“Hard to fathom them sticking with Budenholzer as a head coach after he was viewed as the missing piece to take them to the next level,” Rankin wrote. “Then again, the roster needs major upgrades.

“If he is dismissed, it would mean a fourth coach in four seasons, but Suns team owner Mat Ishbia has shown he’ll let a coach go. What he hasn’t done is fire a key cog in the front office.”

Trade rumors surrounding Durant have been persistent over the past two months, and Rankin believes the organization will focus on shedding salary to stay under the second apron, thus allowing for greater flexibility to reshape the roster.

However, Rankin notes that owner Ishbia’s willingness to make changes has not extended to the front office. General Manager James Jones and CEO Josh Bartelstein remain in their positions, despite failing to build a championship contender.