ESPN Lists Suns Highly in NBA Power Rankings

Basketball season continues to crawl closer, and the Phoenix Suns are waiting for their opportunity to remove the sour taste of an embarrassing postseason loss out of their mouths.

Speculation has driven much of the offseason storylines in Phoenix, whether it be Kevin Durant or Deandre Ayton news. If your name isn't Chris Paul or Devin Booker, you've likely been mentioned at some point in trade/free agency news.

Yet here we are, past the wild wave of the draft and free agency, and the Suns still have their core intact and ready to go. Phoenix is willing to roll the dice once more on the current stable of players, and although no NBA title has returned home with them, very few teams have accomplished what the Suns have in the last two years.

So when Phoenix finished at No. 5 in ESPN's most recent power rankings following offseason movement, their placement was met with little surprise.

ESPN Lists Suns Highly in NBA Power Rankings

With no surprise, the Golden State Warriors take the top spot after winning the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics fall just behind them for silver, followed by the Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies before getting to Phoenix.

No. 5: Phoenix Suns

Post-Finals ranking: 7

2023 title odds: +800 (via Caesars)

"What happens when Deandre Ayton returns to camp? The big man signed an offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers during free agency, but that deal was quickly matched by the Suns. Ayton averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds last season and has averaged a double-double in each of his four seasons in the league. Now, he gets the chance to continue building with the Suns, who are coming off a league-best 64 wins." -- Andrew Lopez

The rest of the top ten is as followed:

No. 6: Los Angeles Clippers

No. 7: Miami Heat

No. 8: Dallas Mavericks

No. 9: Denver Nuggets

No. 10: Philadelphia 76ers

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