NBA Execs: Suns Aren't in Bad Position

The Phoenix Suns don't have it as bad as some may believe, according to NBA decision-makers.

Suns GM James Jones speaks with the press during a press conference at the Footprint Center in / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns - like every team who will fall short of the NBA Finals - will take a massive look at their roster and see what exactly can be done to ensure another early postseason exit doesn't happen.

The Suns can't quite make noise in free agency - or the trade market - without dealing one of their three star players thanks to their positioning in the second apron of the luxury tax, which limits what teams can do in both avenues as a result of overspending on the salary cap.

Is Phoenix really in that bad of a position?

Fox Sports' Ric Bucher spoke to numerous NBA GM's and executives on what's going on with the Suns, and some aren't buying it's as bad as everybody wants to believe.

"So, what can Ishbia and GM James Jones do to close the gap? What should they do? Those were the questions posed by FOX Sports to a half-dozen GMs, scouts and executives. The answers varied, but the consensus: the Suns aren't as hamstrung as some portrayed them on the heels of their elimination by the Timberwolves, which is a case Ishbia made in a recent press conference," wrote Bucher.

"It's not like they're a bad team," a Western Conference executive said to Bucher. "They're not a championship team because the pieces just don't fit. Right now, they have what I call good problems."

Another executive in the West says the Suns need to run it back with their big three of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker.

"Because you have those three guys, you're going to have a winning team," he said in the article. "Are you going to win a championship? Maybe not. I would just address the obvious needs and run it back, because if you just get rid of everybody to start over, you don't know how long that's going to take that. Do you have two or three years as a new owner to just watch the team grow?

"I think you've got to find a way to win back your fan base because your fan base is down on you right now."

Suns owner Mat Ishbia is pretty adamant the team will be in prime position to compete next season.

“We’re going to be in a great position next year, and the fans hopefully are really excited about what next year looks like,” Ishbia told reporters during a press conference

“It’s going to be great, and hopefully it’s better than this year. That’s the goal. That’s my job and all of our jobs.”