Phoenix Suns win-loss prediction: Monty Williams makes emotional February return on Valentine's Day
This seemed like the time the Phoenix Suns would seriously look to move Deandre Ayton as Feb. 8 is the trade deadline this season.
New team owner Mat Ishbia didn't wait that long.
The Suns moved Ayton as part of a three-team deal Wednesday that sent him to Portland and moved Blazers All-Star guard Damian Lillard to Milwaukee.
Even with a new starting big man to go along with an already new-look roster, the Suns should know their weaknesses by the time February rolls around. They made a huge move in trading for Bradley Beal in the offseason, and parted ways from Ayton, but that doesn't mean the Suns won't do something right before the trade deadline.
Here's the latest in our month-by-month predictions for the 2023-24 schedule with a look at February:
Previous predictions: October | November | December | January
February (7-4)
Feb. 2 – at Atlanta Hawks (L).
Feb. 4 – at Washington Wizards (W).
Feb. 6 – Milwaukee Bucks (L).
Feb. 8 – Utah Jazz (W).
Feb. 10 – at Golden State Warriors (L).
Feb. 13 – Sacramento Kings (W).
Feb. 14 – Detroit Pistons (W).
Feb. 22 – at Dallas Mavericks (L).
Feb. 23 – at Houston Rockets (W).
Feb. 25 – Los Angeles Lakers (W).
Feb. 29 – Houston Rockets (W).
Back home: The Suns conclude a seven-game road trip over a 12-day span with Beal returning to the place he called home for 11 NBA seasons early in the month. He’ll be pumped to face the Washington Wizards. So will his Suns teammates, but that’s an exhausting trip.
Can’t see Phoenix winning the following game on Feb. 6 at home against Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lillard and the Bucks even though they’ll be concluding a five-game road trip themselves.
Valentine’s Day: Former head coach Monty Williams returns to Phoenix leading the Detroit Pistons on what will be an emotional night right before the All-Star break. He fell short of a championship, but Williams deserves flowers for changing the culture, coaching the Suns to the 2021 finals and a franchise-best 64-18 record the following season. Resounding cheers should drown out any verbal nonsense thrown his way.
Marquee matchup: Devin Booker vs. Luka Doncic. Enough said.
Record after 59 games: 39-20.
Have opinion about 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: Prediction: Phoenix Suns top Detroit Pistons in Monty Williams' return
