A heartbreaking season continues for the Phoenix Suns fandom as they lost to the New Orleans Pelicans, 124-116, at home. Even as the Suns held the fort at halftime, the 37-point gap in the fourth quarter was too much to handle for Devin Booker and the team. With this loss, the Suns have had 10 losses in the past 12 games, with their overall record being 27-32. Issues are paramount in the Suns’ roster, with Devin Booker being visibly upset.

Booker didn’t hold back during his post-game press conference, calling out a growing communication gap that he says is plaguing the team. The Suns’ guard stressed that every player and coach must be “on the same page” if Phoenix is to compete against the NBA’s elite.

“Everybody has to be on the same page,” he said. “It starts with the leaders of the team, obviously me, Brad, K, and coach.” His remarks pointed directly to a perceived lack of cohesion within the squad, a frustration that has reportedly simmered for weeks behind the scenes.

Booker’s comments come amid rumors of high-profile trade talks that further exposed internal communication issues. The Suns had been linked to potential deals involving Jimmy Butler and Bradley Beal. However, Beal was reportedly kept in the dark about these discussions, and even Kevin Durant was unaware of a proposed three-team deal that would have seen him return to the Warriors while Butler joined Phoenix. These miscommunications have only deepened locker room tensions and cast doubt on the organization’s decision-making.

Head coach Mike Budenholzer, meanwhile, has been experimenting with different starting lineups to find a winning formula. Booker, however, believes that without constant and clear communication among all the players on the sidelines, such adjustments can only go so far. “There are 15, 20 guys on the sideline who know the game plan and what’s going on in the huddles,” he stated.

But that’s not all. He revealed more about what led the team into their slump.

Devin Booker identifies team flaws while Kevin Durant discusses Suns’ future

The Suns were expected to be in the top half of the Western Conference, with offensive powerhouses like Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on their roster. However, that hasn’t been the case. This season has mostly highlighted their struggles. They currently hold a 27-32 record, the team now faces the harsh reality of falling short of playoff aspirations.

Booker bluntly attributed the downturn to a “get ‘em next game” mentality, a mindset that has allowed issues to persist rather than be resolved. “I’d say just skipping over the details and always taking the ‘get ‘em next game’ mentality,” he told the reporters in the presser. “At some point, you gotta draw a line, and it should’ve been drawn a long time ago.”

According to him, the team’s approach has been to overlook the details of their issues, focusing on the next game mindset and brushing off the actual problems, which clearly hasn’t worked. Now, with the season already in its latter half, it’s too late to rectify things.

But HC Budenholzer still believes that teams should remain optimistic. When Durant was asked about it in a locker room interview after the game, the 2x champion said, “I don’t wanna say the wrong thing and people take it out of context.” He was careful not to fall into any traps, but the one thing he did admit was, “I’m gonna just agree that we just gotta be better.”

Now, whether they can turn things around and secure a spot in the postseason tournament is something to watch. Do you think Durant and Booker can lead the team to a turnaround this season, or will they fall short? Share your thoughts with us!