Suns continue whirlwind of change under new owner Mat Ishbia

PHOENIX (AP)— Mat Ishbia’s five-month tenure as the new owner of the PhoenixSuns has produced a whirlwind of change.

Nobody seemscompletely safe — not even 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul— as the Michigan native continues his quest to deliver Phoenix itsfirst NBA title.

Theaggressive owner oversaw his latest big move Sunday, when theSunsputtogether the framework for a tradethat would send Paul,Landry Shamet and other compensation to the Washington Wizards inexchange for three-time All-Star Bradley Beal.

Paul —makingan appearance on ABC’s‘Good Morning America’ on Mondaymorning to promote hisnew book — seemed just as shocked by the development as everyoneelse.

“I wassurprised, too,” Paul said. “I found out on the plane, yesterday,flying here for this. In this league, anything can happen, so youjust figure out what’s next.”

Paul came tothe desert in 2020, bringing instant credibility to the Suns, whohad languished near the bottom of the standings for the better partof a decade. The point guard formed a formidable backcourt withDevin Booker, and the Suns came agonizingly close to achampionship, winning the first two games of the NBA Finals againstthe Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 before losing the next four.

The Suns werealso good in the past two regular seasons, but sufferedback-to-back embarrassing playoff exits on their home floor.

That wasapparently enough for Ishbia to decide that wholesale changesneeded to be made.

Ishbia — whotook over control of the teamfromthe embattled Robert Sarver in February— hasn’t been shyabout making big moves, even before their latest playoff exit. TheSuns added 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant in a blockbuster tradedeadline deal that sent Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and a bevy offirst-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets.

The bold movefailed to produce a championship, so Ishbia continued hisoverhaul.

TheSunsrecentlyfired coach Monty Williams, who was the NBA’s Coach of the Yearin 2022,andbrought in Frank Vogel, who led the Lakers to a title in theFlorida bubble in 2020. Now the team is moving on from the38-year-old Paul and bringing in Beal, who has averaged more than22 points per game over his 11-year career.

More changescould be on the horizon.

The Suns nowhave a stellar nucleus of Booker, Durant, Beal and Deandre Ayton,but not much help around them. The foursome will make about $150million next season and the Suns will have to be creative as theytry to add quality role players.

Anotheroption would be trading Ayton, a former No. 1 overall pick in 2018who has had five up-and-down seasons with the franchise.

There doesn’tseem to be a ton of obvious suitors for an Ayton deal, particularlyafter the 6-foot-11 center had an underwhelming performance in thisyear’s playoffs.

But withIshbia helping pull the strings these days, nothing seemsimpossible. The former Michigan State walk-on basketball player —who was part of the Spartans’ championship team in 2000 — has madeit clear no one in the organization is sacred as he pushes for atitle.

“I want tothink big,” Ishbia said back in February.