Suns Left Outside Top 3 in NBA Power Rankings
The Phoenix Suns have always been one of the favorites to emerge out of the Western Conference, though the most recent flurry of moves this offseason has now propelled them to even higher expectations.
As if Bradley Beal's acquisition via trade wasn't enough, the Suns were able to round out their roster with numerous quality veterans from top to bottom. On top of a fresh presence in new coach Frank Vogel, the Suns look different - and should be one of the best teams in the league for the upcoming season.
Championship or bust is indeed the motto for the Valley's basketball squad, though who could be standing in their way?
In ESPN's recent power rankings, the Suns fell to No. 4 behind the Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics with the following exception:
"The Suns have as skilled of a Big 3 as you'll find in the league in Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. Do they have the depth of a champion, though? James Jones & Co. made some savvy moves, adding Eric Gordon for the vet minimum and acquiring upside darlings in Bol Bol, Yuta Watanabe and Chimezie Metu, but Frank Vogel will have his work cut out coaching so many new players with title expectations."
The Miami Heat fell behind Phoenix to round out the top five.
The Los Angeles Lakers are also among favorites to emerge out of the West, and the Golden State Warriors should never be counted out. If healthy, the Los Angeles Clippers could also make a deep push, too.
However, you could argue none of those teams carry higher expectations (given their roster). ESPN's point out the struggle of having new players gel is a legitimate worry, though the Suns added enough depth to make those worries go away - in theory.
We'll see when the team ultimately takes the court beginning in late October , and they'll have 82 games to figure things out before the real test begins.
