Analyst: Suns Among Most Likely First-Time Champions

The Phoenix Suns have a real shot at capturing their first title.

Apr 28, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale (00) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) during the first half of game four of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns have many detractors and naysayers going into the 2024-25 season.

Some believe the apex of this core has already been realized. Others argue that Kevin Durant will begin his natural decline soon. Some even believe that Mike Budenholzer was a lateral move from Frank Vogel - without accounting for cultural fit.

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report bucked the trend to an extent - as he ranked the Suns as the second-most likely franchise to win an elusive first title this season - and here is his expansive rationale.

"A team with as much star power as the Suns should never be allowed to exist as a sleeping giant. Yet Phoenix encountered enough roadblocks during its first go-round with the Kevin Durant-Devin Booker-Bradley Beal triumvirate that it feels like folks are being too quick to write off the kind of club this could be.

"You can quibble about this team's injury risks and overall depth, but you have to acknowledge how high its ceiling sits. The Suns had 16 different three-player combinations log at least 400 minutes together last season; all of them outscored the opposition by better than five points per 100 possessions.

"Their 10th-ranked offense underwhelmed a bit, but maybe a coaching change from Frank Vogel to Mike Budenholzer and a reworked point guard rotation now featuring Tyus Jones and Monte Morris takes care of that. Their 13th-ranked defense presumably met (or exceeded) expectations and should get a jolt from first-round rookie Ryan Dunn, arguably the top defender in this year's draft."

- Buckley on Suns' potential title run

This is very well thought out argument. Booker is typically a phenomenal playoff performer despite whatever narratives follow him. Durant is an all-time great player. Beal is unlikely to return to 30-PPG form, but still has an untapped ceiling he could return to in year two in the Valley.

They also found a way to reshape the roster in a subtle, yet uniquely consequential way. Coach Budenholzer is also the ideal architect of the roster that was put together this summer - there could be upward of five players on the roster that are threats to spend a full season at 40% or better from three-point range.

The offense should perform much better this year compared to the 10th place finish in the last regular season - and it could even be among the elite of the league.

The inclination here is that it is in fact too early to give up on the upside this core features. It is extremely difficult to conceive the notion that a team such as the Orlando Magic - or even the Memphis Grizzlies - have a higher ceiling or better shot to bring home the Larry O'Brien trophy in 2025.

The Suns trailed only behind the Minnesota Timberwolves, who notably earned a 4-0 series victory when the two squads met in the first round of the 2024 playoffs.