PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns are coming off a decidedly disappointing 2023-24 season with a slightly revamped roster and a new head coach who should be able to get the most out of the talented roster in place.
That doesn’t mean everyone has forgotten what happened last season.
Dan Favale of Bleacher Report ranked the Suns 15th, right in the middle of the pack, in terms of title contenders for the next three seasons.
The rationale is essentially based on three factors: Kevin Durant’s age, the ability to get by with building a roster under the second apron, and the idea that the Stars might ask for help from outside the city in the near future.
The Phoenix Suns have a better chance of winning the championship next season than more than half the league, but their chances of winning a title beyond that are much less clear.
It helps to have Devin Booker at his best. Kevin Durant, on the other hand, who at times seems ageless, is entering his 36th season and carried an incredibly heavy burden last year. How much longer can he play at the level of a top-10 player?
This core is also ripe for a sale – and not necessarily a good one.
If Tyus Jones is still in Phoenix this time next year, something has probably gone terribly wrong. Team governor Mat Ishbia seems willing to pay a fortune and sell the Suns’ few assets, but transactional upgrades aren’t easy on the second apron. And what’s more, every billionaire has his limits. Anything less than a title in 2024-25 could lead to a cost-cutting turnaround — and a disgruntled star or two.
This disadvantage is too big to overlook in favor of what could happen next year. It would be different if the Western Conference wasn’t designed to be an absolute hellfire, but it is, which puts teams that operate in annual windows at a medium-term disadvantage.
– Favale on the Suns’ title chances
These are all valid arguments. Durant is still a world-class player, but how long will he be a top 10 prospect? Jones is expected to be on loan in Phoenix for a year, as the Suns do not own his Bird Rights – so if he returns, that would not be a positive premise.
The second apron hasn’t stopped the front office from making some bold moves this offseason, but the restrictions it brings could ultimately lead to more headaches and a break for Suns owner Mat Ishbia, no matter how generous he’s been as governor of the franchise.
The threat of Booker and Durant demanding trades is also in the air. Although there are nothing more than speculative reports at the moment, the circumstances the Suns find themselves in could cause problems next summer.
The Suns rank behind teams like the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic on this list, which may come as a shock to some – but ultimately it’s up to the team to prove the critics wrong in the next calendar year.
