Charles Barkley Says Suns Have ‘No Identity, No Leadership’ – Basketball Insiders

Charles Barkley didn’t beat around the bush when asked about his former team, the Phoenix Suns, for the upcoming season. During an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Barkley spoke about many of the Western Conference contenders. He was highly critical of many of last season’s playoff teams, with the exception of the Oklahoma City Thunder. What he had to say about the Suns, however, certainly raised a few eyebrows.

“My Suns,” Charles Barkley began. “They have no identity, no leadership. You have to have a style of play. You have to have leadership. The Suns haven’t proven they can do that yet.”

“(Booker) is a great player,” he continued. “The whole dynamic of the team changed when KD and Beal came in. Now they have to have leadership. He (Booker) has to take the leadership role. I think he’s reluctant because he thinks KD is the best player. Kevin has said he doesn’t want to be a leader. He just wants to play basketball.”

“I challenged Booker last year. It’s got to be Booker. He’s got to take a serious leadership role. People are going to listen to him because he’s a great player, but he’s got to become more of a leader. He’s got to become a more vocal leader. Then we’ll see what happens with the Suns.”

While some may argue that Barkley is talking nonsense, there is some truth to the leadership argument.

Charles Barkley questions Phoenix’s identity

Can the Phoenix Suns put the pieces of the puzzle together this year?

The Phoenix Suns seemed to be on a roll heading into last year. With a new trio of Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant, many thought their offensive output would be too much for the rest of the league to overcome. However, their lack of a true point guard, defensive inefficiencies and lack of a floor leader proved to be their ultimate downfall. This was evident in the series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A series in which the Suns were swept by said Timberwolves team.

With Mike Budenholzer as new head coach, Tyus Jones taking over the field and Devin Booker spending a summer with his fellow Olympians, the Suns are hoping to silence many critics this year. If Devin Booker takes the next step to become a vocal leader, Phoenix could be one of the surprises of the Western Conference. It will be tough with the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets all projected in the top four. Still, the Suns’ big three have enough talent to ensure a playoff slot. As Charles Barkley said, someone has to step up as a leader on the court.