As the NBA’s bubble comes together in Orlando, many are asking why the Phoenix Suns are involved. While that question may seem disrespectful on the surface, the Suns finished with the 13th-best record in a 15-team Western Conference this season. From there, Phoenix posted an ugly 8-15 record in the last 23 games and, while the team is mathematically alive in its pursuit of a playoff berth, the sledding is difficult.
With that said, the Suns have a ton of young talent, with Devin Booker blossoming in a big way and Deandre Ayton stepping into a more prominent role as a former No. 1 pick. If nothing else, Phoenix is an entertaining team to watch and, at full strength, they are dangerous enough to present on-court issues for many teams at Walt Disney World.
ROSTER
Deandre Ayton
Aron Baynes
Devin Booker
Mikal Bridges
Jevon Carter
Cheick Diallo
Ty Jerome
Cameron Johnson
Frank Kaminsky
Jalen Lecque
Elie Okobo
Kelly Oubre Jr. (status unclear)
Cameron Payne
Ricky Rubio
Dario Saric
SCHEDULE
Friday, July 31 – 4:00 pm ET – vs. Washington Wizards
Sunday, Aug. 2 – 9:00 pm ET – vs. Dallas Mavericks
Monday, Aug. 4 – 4:00 pm ET – vs. L.A. Clippers
Thursday, Aug. 6 – 4:00 pm ET – vs. Indiana Pacers
Saturday, Aug. 8 – 7:30 pm ET – vs. Miami Heat
Monday, Aug. 10 – 2:30 pm ET – vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Tuesday, Aug. 11 – 4:30 pm ET – vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Thursday, Aug. 13 – TBD – vs. Dallas Mavericks
STANDINGS
1. Los Angeles Lakers: 49-14
2. Los Angeles Clippers: 44-20 (5.5)
3. Denver Nuggets: 43-22 (7.0)
4. Utah Jazz: 41-23 (8.5)
5. OKC Thunder: 40-24 (9.5)
6. Houston Rockets: 40-24 (9.5)
7. Dallas Mavericks: 40-27 (11.0)
8. Memphis Grizzlies: 32-33 (18.0)
9. Portland Trail Blazers: 29-37 (21.5)
10. New Orleans Pelicans: 28-36 (21.5)
11. Sacramento Kings: 28-36 (21.5)
12. San Antonio Spurs: 27-36 (22.0)
13. Phoenix Suns: 26-39 (24.0)
WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?
This is a tough one, simply because of the position the Suns are in. Even with fairly generous rules allowing for a potential play-in competition for the No. 8 seed, the Suns have a lot of work to do in order to seriously compete for the postseason. After all, Phoenix would need to surpass four teams in order to reach the No. 9 spot and, well, the math on that is tough. As such, success for the Suns looks different than many other teams in Orlando. Phoenix should be focused on player development, allowing their young guys, headlined by Booker and Ayton, to improve and coalesce together with an eye toward the 2020-21 campaign. That’s really what matters for the Suns.
X-FACTOR
At this point, Devin Booker is a legitimate star, especially if his 2019-20 efficiency continues in the future. With that out of the way, the team’s X-factor is probably Deandre Ayton. It is safe to project that Ayton will never elude questions about being selected ahead of Luka Doncic, but he put together an impressive second season, with the caveat of an early 25-game suspension that set back his development and the team as a whole. Upon returning, Ayton averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game, improving drastically on the defensive end and scoring with reasonable efficiency. He still has some bad habits, but the talent is there, and Ayton is a player to closely monitor as the bubble convenes.
BIGGEST ON-COURT QUESTION
Despite earning a bid to Orlando, the Suns were actually below-average on both ends of the floor this season. The team’s personnel remains slanted to the offensive end, though, and it will be interesting to see how Phoenix defends in the bubble. The numbers with both Booker and Ayton on the floor (+4.9 per 100 possessions) were excellent, both due to offensive proficiency and acceptable defense. Overall, though, that is a question that will follow Phoenix as they continue to build the roster and find the combinations of young talent that work best on both ends.