Suns Labeled as One of Most Overhyped Teams
The Phoenix Suns have nearly everything it takes to win a championship.
Head coach Frank Vogel has prior championship experience and brings a defensive acumen previously missed from Monty Williams to a roster that is full of scoring.
When it comes to star power, look no further than the Valley. Names such as Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker will take the court in Suns jerseys for 2023-24, and it's tough to imagine Phoenix losing many games if all can stay healthy.
The Suns were able to add a strong mix of depth, length and shooting through various trades and free agency. Players such as Yuta Watanabe, Keita Bates-Diop and Eric Gordon bring a little of everything to a Suns bench that should be better than years past.
It's championship or bust here in the desert, and while some believe the Suns are one of the strongest squads capable of bringing home the Larry O'Brien trophy, others believe "overhyped" is the word that best describes them.
Phoenix was listed alongside the Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers as teams that are overhyped ahead of the 2023-24 season by Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey:
"Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have a reasonable 'best offensive duo in basketball' argument. Bradley Beal, who averaged 30-plus points in back-to-back seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21, is the Suns' third option. His shotmaking against the opposition's third best perimeter defender could lead to previously unseen efficiency from Beal," wrote Bailey.
"And while some fans and analysts may have struggled with the trade that sent Deandre Ayton to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jusuf Nurkić, the incoming big man was arguably better in 2022-23, and he didn't come alone. Phoenix also acquired another starting-caliber player in Grayson Allen and a potential rotation player in Nassir Little in the deal. And the Suns desperately needed the depth.
"In fact, they still might. After the six players already mentioned, every other player on the Phoenix roster is on a minimum contract. And while at least one of those players (Eric Gordon) may have been able to get more elsewhere, there's generally a reason everyone signed for what they did.
"Star power is typically more important than depth in the playoffs (particularly the later rounds), but the Suns lack the latter to a degree that could pose some problems."
The Suns nearly won the NBA Finals in 2021 but fell short, even after claiming a 2-0 series lead over Milwaukee. The following season, they earned a franchise record 64 regular season wins but have failed to do anything in the postseason since.
Phoenix certainly hopes the new changes made can bring an immediate impact. They battle the Golden State Warriors on the NBA's opening night, which is set for Oct. 24.
