The NBA led by Adam Silver and the NBPA worked out another Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) which was put into effect from the 2017-18 season. The almost 600-page document laid out a set of rules that would dictate player contracts, salary caps, and trades among other things. Putting together a championship-contender team was already difficult enough in the NBA. It could get even harder with this new agreement.

All things considered, the league appears to have made an effort to promote parity by restricting the financial flexibility of the teams with the biggest payrolls in favor of teams with smaller payrolls.

This, according to NBA Insider Brian Windhorst, has negatively affected Kevin Durant‘s career. He says, “You can almost write a book about what’s happened to Kevin Durant and his career with rule changes. And the rules changes in this CBA which came in just really a few weeks after he was traded to the Suns have really handicapped this team. There were all theses rules that were put in.” This was aimed at restricting superteams, leaving the Suns with very little room to improve the team at the deadline or during the summer, Brain adds.

The Suns are limited in their ability to make trades because of their current situation regarding the luxury tax and the lack of draft capital. Unable to make major roster changes due to the restrictions, Brian believes that the Suns‘ best chance of winning a title would be next season, which is unfortunate for a superstar like KD. The only way for the former champion is to make it work with what he has now, as per Brian.

A KD-Beal-Booker powerhouse needs to emerge

The Suns went all in for Durant at the trade deadline last season, a deal that left them with practically no trade assets left. Later in June, they took a more aggressive stance towards the second tax apron, letting go of Landry Shamet and Chris Paul for Beal. This resulted in a higher tax burden for them. Under these circumstances, the only chance for the Suns to make a huge impact next season is to make it work among KD, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.

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Beal’s back injury stalled the team toward the initial stages of the season, but now that he is back, the trio needs to work out a synergy that would benefit everyone. This is the closest to a superteam the Suns will get, and they need to make it work. For now, they occupy the 6th spot in the Western Conference with a 28-20 record.

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