Biyombo talks re-signing with Suns; Durant, Ayton
LAS VEGAS – The Phoenix heat was a bit too much even for Bismack Biyombo.
While in the city last month, Biyombo looked to take a walk in the neighborhood to pick up hot tea.
Ugh.
“I go outside, and I said, ‘My goodness, what is this?’” said Biyombo with a laugh, in talking about his reaction to the 100-plus degree weather. “So, I get there, and I said, ‘Sorry, I think I made a mistake. I need it iced.’ So, they had to remake it. I’ll be back whenever the weather shifts a little bit.”
When Biyombo returns, he’ll rejoin the Suns looking to do his part to help the franchise pursue a championship they fell short of winning in his first year with the team.
“When you work in a positive environment, there’s also motivation there,” Biyombo said. “Getting to know the leadership a little bit helps a lot also. It’s an environment you want to be in. We all know this league is full of interesting people, perhaps you can put it that way, but at the same time, the reality of it is we competed last year to try to accomplish something that we couldn’t do last year.”
The Suns re-signed Biyombo to a one-year deal Tuesday for $2.9 million according to Spotrac.
“I enjoyed playing with those guys,” Biyombo later said. “The energy was always great. Although the result might not be what we wanted, but you could see guys were still hungry and wanted to win. To me, winning, at this point in my career, means everything to me.”
The Suns have also signed Damion Lee and Josh Okogie, acquired Jock Landale in a trade with Atlanta for cash considerations and secured Devin Booker with a supermax extension of four years, $224 million — but still have more work to do in free agency.
Kevin Durant requested a trade from Brooklyn with Phoenix atop his wish list, but the Nets want All-Star talent in return as well as a haul of draft picks.
The Suns still have restricted free agent Deandre Ayton, who the Nets reportedly aren’t interested in having. Ayton looked like a sign-and-trade going into free agency, but Durant’s trade request seems to have most of the league waiting to see the results of that before doing anything major.
Biyombo understands why there is such great interest in it all, but he’s focused on his responsibilities going into this season.
“My job is to play basketball and the front office’s job is to put us in an environment so that we can win,” Biyombo said. “They know their job more than I do and I think I know my job more than anybody. I got to do my job to the best of my ability, and everybody has to do the same.”
Biyombo later said he can only control his actions, but he did share thoughts on Durant and Ayton.
“Everybody has got to what’s best for them and their family,” Biyombo said. “As an athlete, you’re here to support them. I’m not here to ever push anybody. KD asked for a trade. He knows what’s exactly best for him and nobody can tell him what’s best for him. As for DA’s situation, I think the team would love to have DA back. Everybody loves DA. I don’t know that situation, but at the end of the day, I do know the front office is doing everything possible to put each person in the best environment to play basketball.”
Biyombo summed up his comments with what has always been the bottom line in sports.
“At the end of the day, it’s about winning,” he added.
Biyombo joined the Suns on New Year’s Day on a 10-day contract after taking time to cope with the loss of his father, who passed away in August 2021 after a bout with COVID-19.
Making his mark right away, Biyombo averaged 11.1 points on 64.3% shooting and 8.1 rebounds over the course of 12 January games that all ended in Phoenix victories.
The 6-8, 255-pound big posted five double-doubles during that stretch as the Suns were without JaVale McGee, Jae Crowder and Ayton for multiple games due to injuries and being in COVID protocols.
Biyombo later signed for the rest of the year.
Now he’s looking forward to starting the 2022-23 season with the Suns.
“All the structure was set, and you’re kind of catching a rhythm of a team and trying to join the dance,” Biyombo said. “I think it’s always good to start the dance at the beginning, which is training camp. Have a better understanding of the team.”
Biyombo, 29, said “winning teams” showed interest in him in the offseason and there was more money to be made elsewhere, but he wanted to continue his career in Phoenix. “If I’m comfortable in a system I can excel,” Biyombo said. “If the system is not set up comfortably for me, then it’s difficult for any athlete. I’m happy in Phoenix and I think the city, the fans embraced me.”
Biyombo ended last regular season averaging 5.8 points on 59.3% shooting and 4.6 rebounds in what was a historic year for Phoenix.
The Suns set a franchise record for victories in a single season at 64-18, which was the best record in the league. Biyombo only played in 36 regular-season games, but became a crowd favorite and gave the Suns the spark they needed to take Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against Dallas.
With the series tied 2-2, Suns coach Monty Williams went with Biyombo as his main backup to Ayton. Biyombo finished with seven points and six rebounds in 21 minutes in Phoenix’s 30-point blitz.
“You don’t know how it’s going to work out, but when we looked at some of the matchups and the energy that Biz brings to the game,” Williams said after Game 5. “It was a hard decision. I tried to play (Ayton, McGee and Biyombo) but I just felt like Biz’s energy would allow for us to make energy plays. He didn’t ‘wow’ you with scoring and that kind of thing, but his attention to detail and his ability to play in multiple efforts on defense and then he can finish around the basket.”
However, Biyombo and the Suns couldn’t close the deal.
The fourth-seeded Mavericks took Game 6 at home to force a Game 7 in Phoenix they won by 33 points.
“You get one of those bad games when things don’t go your way maybe once a year, twice a year,” Biyombo said. “Sometimes four or five times a year. I think we had one of those back in Memphis when we lost in Memphis. We possibly had another one of those in OKC (Oklahoma City), but we ended up winning that game.”
That’s not how Phoenix’s season was supposed to end, but Biyombo said that should serve as fuel for this upcoming season.
Biyombo’s initial response to the shocking and embarrassing finish was to watch games and work out as he was still in Phoenix at the time.
He returned to Miami with the same mindset, but eventually took time to decompress and allow his mind and body to heal.
Still, Game 7 remains in his system. “That game itself should be motivation for anybody that was on that team, whether you’re still with the team or whether you go to another team,” Biyombo said. “It should be motivation.”
Biyombo also took time away from the gym last month to visit Pope Francis.
Scheduled to travel to Biyombo’s homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan of Africa for his Apostolic Journey originally scheduled July 2-7, Pope Francis had the trip postponed due to knee trouble.
So Biyombo visited St. Peter’s Basilica at Vatican City where he and Pope Francis discussed the humanitarian efforts of the Bismack Biyombo Foundation. Biyombo donated his entire salary last season toward building a hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in honor of his father.
“That was a lifetime experience,” Biyombo said. “Just being in his presence and just having this conversation, I think the conversation that we had was more than I expected. He had the desire to meet me and when they say the Pope wants to meet you, obviously, I got very excited.”
Now in Miami, Biyombo will be back in Phoenix in September for the upcoming season.
Hopefully, it’ll be a tad bit cooler by then. “I can’t be in Phoenix right now, it’s too hot,” Biyombo said.