Suns Labeled Sleeper Team Ahead of New Season

The Phoenix Suns are being slept on in a powerful Western Conference.

Jan 24, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) laugh during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns aren't quite being talked about as title contenders ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Perhaps that's deserved, as the Suns crashed out of the first round of playoff action last season in hideous fashion after being swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves, which resulted in the dismissal of first-year coach Frank Vogel.

While most believe Mike Budenholzer will be a better fit, the Suns still approach training camp with a new coach and mostly similar lineup led by stars in Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker.

It feels like the Western Conference only got tougher through the offseason, once again providing tough sledding for the Suns.

Still, they're a talented squad, and NBC Sports' Tristi Rodriguez labeled the Suns as a sleeper team in their Western Conference power rankings, placing Phoenix at No. 5 with the following explanation:

"No one person can fix the Suns franchise, but if one coach can at least lead it in the right direction, it's Mike Budenholzer. Phoenix's new coach has plenty of talent to work with in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Co., who finished as the West's No. 6 playoff seed last season but were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. As embarrassing as the Suns' organization has been over the years, I actually think last season will fuel them for the new campaign."

Ranking ahead of Phoenix are the Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 1), Dallas Mavericks (No. 2), Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 3) and Denver Nuggets (No. 4) to fill the top five.

Under the Suns are the Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Clippers to complete the top ten.

That's likely where the Suns belong at this point in time, though there's ample opportunity to again establish themselves as a top team in their conference.