ESPN Says This Season is Make-or-Break for Entire Phoenix Suns Organization
It's a fairly big season for the Phoenix Suns.
After two seasons where the team ultimately fell short of their goal to bring home an NBA championship, the Suns endured an offseason for the ages (both on and off the court).
Now, actual basketball is here, and the Suns again look to be a strong power in the western conference.
In ESPN's final power rankings ahead of the season, Phoenix came in at No. 8 on their list. That's been your typical spot for the Suns, give or take a few spots depending on the outlet.
"The Suns are still navigating an extremely difficult situation stemming from Sarver's misdeeds, and Williams' statement on the subject during media day certainly won't be the last time they come up," said Dave McMenamin.
"Phoenix doesn't just have the challenges of extending the prime of a 37-year-old point guard in Chris Paul or getting All-Star Devin Booker and their Defensive Player of the Year candidate Bridges to the next level. The foundation of their franchise has been shaken to its core."
Each team has a "this is a make-or-break year for..." category, and when it came to Phoenix, the entire Suns organization was put under the microscope:
"The entire Suns organization. After the league's investigation into Robert Sarver's workplace conduct led to a one-year ban and a $10 million fine, the longtime Suns owner reluctantly agreed to sell the team. The pending sale will determine Phoenix's fate long-term, but in the short-term, the players and coaches will have to weather the fallout while trying to push past disappointing finishes to their past two seasons.
"Training camp was already compromised by Jae Crowder's refusal to accept a bench role after Williams decided to elevate Cam Johnson to the starting lineup, leaving the team with an unexpected hole in its rotation while Crowder is away from the team as they field trade offers. And the West only got tougher in the offseason, setting up what could be an arduous season in Phoenix."
Time will tell if ESPN is correct, but the Suns seem to like their chances.
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