Why Are Suns Being Overlooked?

A large faction of the NBA world has cooled on the Phoenix Suns.

Apr 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) dribbles the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half during game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- It has now been nearly five months since the Phoenix Suns were an untimely playoff exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves - and the trepidation surrounding the ability to bounce back this season has remained - despite offseason moves that were resoundingly well-received.

Even coach Mike Budenholzer has faced scrutiny before even coaching a game for the franchise.

The majority of betting markets believe the Suns are a fringe top-10 title contender, various power rankings have had the Suns outside of the top 10 altogether, and some believe that completely hitting the reset button is an inevitability at this stage.

Is this complete 180-degree turn fair to the Suns?

The answer might not be totally linear.

Some of this skepticism is warranted. The first full season under Mat Ishbia's stewardship was short of disaster. Frank Vogel was the wrong hire. The vast majority of the 2023 free agency class ended up being duds. The franchise traded away a treasure chest of second-round draft picks to acquire Brad Beal. The first-round sweep was one of the most humiliating playoff exits in recent years.

So, yes, there is reason to be tepid on the fortunes of this upcoming team - many of the issues that plagued them last season are still in the fold - such as the lack of a two-way POA threat, a general lack of explosive athletes, and a center rotation that may not hold up against fellow contenders in the Western Conference.

However, many of the moves the Suns made this offseason were directly in response to the blunders of last year.

Signing veterans with proven track records should rectify taking chances on many unknowns in July of 2023. The acquisitions of Tyus Jones and Monte Morris should lead to being able to channel the core strengths of the offense while also hopefully leading to much stronger fourth quarter outputs.

The draft picks of Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro might not lead to instant impact, but both are obviously youthful and great athletes - both things that have been sorely lacking on the roster.

The hiring of Budenholzer could also be just what was needed for returning Suns - such as Royce O'Neale, Bol Bol, and even Josh Okogie. Budenholzer's background as an innovator could serve all of these players incredibly well - and it is sure that the role players will have more defined roles/cleaner opportunities to make an impact this season around the star trio.

So, is there a basis for criticism going into 2024-25 action? Certainly. This roster still has some pronounced holes, the competition around the Suns has only grown stronger, and Budenholzer has to get the most out of the squad over the grind of 82 games.

Keeping that in mind, the Suns are still an incredibly talented team that found incredibly creative ways to address very pointed needs - and the theory is that those moves will further hone in on what this team should do well across the board.