'Hot garbage': Stephen A. Smith calls out Phoenix Suns ownership, Frank Vogel and Kevin Durant
Stephen A. Smith unleashed on the Phoenix Suns on ESPN’s Christmas morning show, calling them “hot garbage” as they’re 3-8 in their last 11 games.
“There’s nothing to look forward to in Phoenix because I’m looking at the rest of the Western Conference and some of these young thoroughbreds on the come up,” Smith said. “The reigning defending champions in Denver. LeBron (James) leading the Los Angeles Lakers. You can’t count them out and then I’m looking at the Phoenix Suns? Hot garbage. Hot garbage.”
The Suns (14-14) are 11th in the Western Conference heading into Monday night’s Christmas game against Dallas (17-12) at Footprint Center.
If the playoffs started today, they wouldn’t make it.
“They’re a team when it comes to there’s a whole bunch of people to share the blame,” Smith said. “It’s not just one person. There’s a whole bunch of blame to go around.”
Smith started his rant questioning the team’s ownership headed by billionaire Mat Ishbia for bringing in Bradley Beal in an offseason trade that sent Chris Paul to Washington.
The Wizards later moved Paul to Golden State and got Jordan Poole in return.
Beal is out with a right ankle sprain he suffered on Dec. 15 against the New York Knicks as he landed on Donte DiVincenzo’s foot on a 3-point basket early in the game.
He has only played six games for his new team this season mostly due to low back issues.
“Let’s start with ownership doing your homework on Bradley Beal,” Smith said. “This isn’t the first time he’s been injured. So you got to take that into consideration. We know it’s not on purpose. It’s not his fault that he landed on somebody’s foot, twisted his ankle and stuff like that. It’s not his fault.”
Beal played just 50 games last season after only seeing action in a career-low 40 games in 2021-22.
“The reality is that durability and availability have been things that he hasn’t had at his disposal,” Smith said.
He then took aim at Frank Vogel, questioning his ability to “touch on the pulse” of the team.
“That was a question mark for him with the Los Angeles Lakers,” Smith said. “Wasn’t a question mark for him when he was coaching the Indiana Pacers years ago, but it was a question with him with the Los Angeles Lakers thereafter winning the (2019-20 NBA championship). It’s a question now as you watch these things, these matters unfold.”
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Up next, Kevin Durant, who is averaging 30.9 points on 52.1% shooting, leading the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage at 47.3%, but Smith questions Durant’s leadership.
“It appears to be nothing,” said Smith about Durant’s stats as he’s third in the league in scoring. “Why? Because leadership isn’t just with how you perform on the basketball court. It’s your ability to galvanize the people around you to maximize their potential. He doesn’t seem to be able to do that.”
Smith continued by trying to figure out how the Suns have Durant averaging 30-plus points a game and Devin Booker putting up 27.3 a game and are still a .500 team.
“This is a team that appears to be leaderless, this is a team that doesn’t appear to have any kind of direction, any kind of motivation whatsoever,” Smith said. “They certainly don’t have health on their side.”
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Stephen A. Smith calls out Suns ownership, Frank Vogel, Kevin Durant
