If you\u2019re somebody who invests emotionally in the Phoenix and Arizona sports scene, you woke up yesterday to a notification that probably left you a little stunned. Not necessarily because of the transaction itself, but because of the manner in which the organization handled the situation and a potential trade that now appears imminent. The more I thought about it, the more I found myself arriving at a familiar conclusion: I\u2019m happy with the current state of Phoenix Suns ownership, flaws and all.<\/p>\n
Of course, I\u2019m referring to the news that the Arizona Cardinals are reportedly finalizing a trade involving third-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not overly upset about the transaction itself because, quite frankly, it felt imminent. For two and a half seasons, it felt like we weren\u2019t getting the same player we watched at Ohio State. That dominant, game-changing wide receiver who could dictate how opposing defenses approached the game never really materialized in Arizona.<\/p>\n
\u201cMasarati Marv\u201d (who I\u2019ve grown to call \u201cMazda Marv\u201d) has been underwhelming, to say the least. You can point to scheme, you can point to connectivity with quarterback play, and you can point to any number of circumstances that may have contributed to his struggles. But whatever the reasoning, Harrison has certainly underdelivered relative to expectations.<\/p>\n
The frustrating aspect of the potential transaction, however, is the simple fact that a suitor has yet to be named. That\u2019s right. He is being to traded to\u2026um\u2026no one knows quite yet.<\/p>\n
Like, what? Ex-squeeze me? Who gets a full-blown Adam Schefter breaking news notification that they\u2019re being traded, yet the trade hasn\u2019t happened, and we don\u2019t even know which teams are involved? \u201cHey folks, the Suns are trading Jalen Green. Eventually\u201d. Only in Arizona, my friends. Only in the defunct sports orbit knows as Arizona.<\/p>\n
This is where, as a fan of Arizona sports, you can\u2019t help but look at the landscape and appreciate what Mat Ishbia and the Phoenix Suns currently represent as an organization. Do they have their flaws? Absolutely. No organization operates perfectly, and considering the microscope professional sports franchises operate under, perfection is an impossible standard. Ishbia has made his mistakes, some of which the Suns will continue paying for into the next decade. But in the same breath, they\u2019ve recognized the need to pivot, reset their approach, and attempt something different.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals seemingly have a PhD in mismanaging every aspect of their organization. You know, the team thank earned a D+ grade for the way they treat families, F- for their locker room, and D- in ownership, per the 2025 NFLPA team report cards<\/a>?<\/p>\n Take the Marvin Harrison Jr. situation, for example. Maybe multiple bidders are involved, and the Cardinals are doing everything they can to drive up the asking price. That\u2019s certainly one possibility. But it feels far more likely that information leaked from somewhere within the organization, national reporters caught wind of it, and now the entire football world knows the Cardinals are looking to move Marvin Harrison Jr. As a result, the perception of his value as a trade asset potentially diminishes. Opposing teams interested in acquiring him now know Arizona wants to move on, which could compromise whatever leverage the Cardinals might have possessed during negotiations.<\/p>\n