Suns Owner Ishbia Admits Mistakes in Failed Star Trades

Ishbia says he got too excited in acquiring Durant and Beal, leading to a disastrous roster.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia has reflected on the team's failed experiment with a "Big 3" of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal. Ishbia admits he jumped the gun in making those trades without fully thinking them through, letting the excitement of purchasing the team cloud his judgment. He takes responsibility for not properly defining the team's culture upfront, which led to the acquisition of the wrong types of players. Ishbia says the Suns are now aligned on the kind of players and people they want, which has led to a surprisingly successful 32-23 start to the season despite the team's injury issues.

Why it matters

The Suns' failed "Big 3" experiment was one of the most high-profile and expensive roster moves in recent NBA history, with the team mortgaging its future to acquire Durant and Beal. Ishbia's candid admission of his mistakes provides insight into how new owners can sometimes get overly excited and make impulsive decisions that backfire. His acknowledgment of the need to establish the right culture and identity for the organization is an important lesson for team owners.

The details

The Suns' previous star trio of Booker, Durant, and Beal failed to win a single playoff game together despite pushing the team into luxury tax hell. Their 2023-24 roster remains the most expensive in NBA history with over $400 million in combined salary and luxury tax penalties. This past offseason, the Suns saw the departures of several key figures, including general manager James Jones and head coach Mike Budenholzer, as part of a total organizational reset under Ishbia's leadership.

  • The Suns' "Big 3" experiment took place during the 2023-24 NBA season.
  • Ishbia purchased the Suns in 2022.

The players

Mat Ishbia

The current owner of the Phoenix Suns, who took over the team in 2022 and has sought to turn the organization around after a failed "Big 3" experiment.

Devin Booker

A star player for the Phoenix Suns who was part of the team's failed "Big 3" experiment.

Kevin Durant

A star player who was acquired by the Suns as part of the failed "Big 3" experiment.

Bradley Beal

A star player who was also acquired by the Suns as part of the failed "Big 3" experiment.

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What they’re saying

“When people wanted to blame me last time, I wasn't actually doing it my way. Now, I am, and there's no question about it.”

— Mat Ishbia, Suns Owner (The Athletic)

“You could blame me for not defining and setting the culture up front, because at the end of the day, that's the leader's responsibility. And I'm the owner. I'm the leader. It's my job...So what would I have done differently? I would have said, 'Let's do this the right way.' But I got excited. I bought a team.”

— Mat Ishbia, Suns Owner (The Athletic)

What’s next

Ishbia and the Suns organization will look to continue building a winning culture and roster through the remainder of the 2025-26 season and beyond.

The takeaway

Ishbia's candid admission of his mistakes in the failed "Big 3" experiment serves as a cautionary tale for new team owners, highlighting the importance of establishing the right organizational culture and identity before making major roster moves. His willingness to take responsibility and learn from those errors suggests the Suns are now on a more sustainable path forward.