Looking Back on Preseason Predictions Suns Proved Totally Wrong

PHOENIX -- There's no question the Phoenix Suns surprised a lot of people during the 2025-26 season, turning things around immediately under first-year coach Jordan Ott even after missing the 2025 playoffs and subsequently trading away Kevin Durant.

Many people and outlets did not think the Suns would be close to a playoff team with their over/under win total set at 31.5, which Phoenix crushed with a 45-37 record that led to the Suns making the playoffs, where they were swept in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Still, the Suns had an overall successful season relative to expectations especially given the injuries they overcame.

Here's a look back at some of the preseason predictions Phoenix proved wrong:

Bleacher Report: Suns Finish With 26-56 Record (Oct. 3, 2025)

Only three teams (the Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards) finished with more losses than the Suns in Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes' record predictions, who wrote on Phoenix:

"Devin Booker has played 68 games or fewer in four of the last five seasons, a relevant statistic considering his supporting cast no longer includes Kevin Durant. When the Phoenix Suns' best player inevitably misses 15-25 games, they'll be drawing dead against almost every opponent.

"Even when Booker is healthy, the Suns will face an uphill climb on offense. Though he's among the better facilitators on the wing, Booker isn't a point guard. He'll split that role with Jalen Green this season, which doesn't bode well.

"Add to that the Suns' reliance on center Mark Williams, who has averaged 35 games per season during his three-year career and never once rated as a positive defender, and it's easy to imagine Phoenix finishing in the bottom five on defense for the second year in a row.

"No KD, an unproven head coach in Jordan Ott, an owner who doesn't seem to understand NBA asset management and a Western Conference that refuses to relent combine to give the Suns little hope—both this season and over the next half-decade or so."

ESPN: Suns End Season 14th in West (Oct. 20, 2025)

ESPN ranked the Suns 26th in their power rankings right before the season started.

Zach Kram wrote this bold prediction for the Suns:

"Phoenix finishes 14th in the West. The Suns have shooting guards, centers and just about nothing else on their roster, and a lack of playmaking and defense will make it hard for them to win with any consistency in such a deep conference. Utah's a near lock to finish last in the West, but second to last is a realistic possibility for a team that, until recently, was all-in for a title."

The Athletic: Suns Will Be Among Bottom Western Conference Teams (Oct. 10, 2025)

The Athletic's John Hollinger had the Suns finishing 12th in the West with a 35-47 record with only the New Orleans Pelicans (32-50), Portland Trail Blazers (31-51) and Jazz (23-59) behind them.

"The good news is that the Suns seem to have somewhat realized how bad of shape they’re in. The bad news is that they’re still in bad shape. They don’t have control of their first-round pick until 2032 — presuming they get it unfrozen — and have a roster that will be hard-pressed to stay in playoff contention in the rugged West," wrote Hollinger.

"Where they go from here is hard to say. Right now, the Suns look like the new Sacramento, with an impulsive owner overseeing a roster tire fire that they’re now trying to piece back to respectability. Trading Booker to get some of their picks back seemed like the best way out of the pickle, but the extension reduces his trade value and indicates the Suns instead will try to dynamite themselves out of the crater they have dug for themselves. Good luck with that."

Suns On SI: Suns Don't Make Play-In, Struggle In Tough Western Conference (Oct. 22, 2025)

We were not high either on the Suns heading into the postseason, predicting them to miss the play-in and finish as an 11 or 12 seed because of the difficulty of the Western Conference.

I also predicted Phoenix to finish 35-47 and wrote before opening night:

"The Suns already look like they will be a much more fun team to watch this season based on the preseason with added athleticism and the fast-paced, pressure system new coach Jordan Ott is implementing.

"However, the Western Conference will once again be a gauntlet and without any true stars outside of Devin Booker, the new-look Suns are going to face a tough test night in and night out."

Safe to say, Phoenix exceeded all of these expectations, and now most people won't be overlooking the Suns heading into next season.

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