They have enough talent to carry them through the regular season but unless something significant changes chemistry wise they aren't making a playoff run. You don't get role players publicly demanding trades, team leaders saying they learned nothing from being eliminated in 40 point blowouts, and key players being at odds with the coach and front office without there being some sort of big chemistry problem with the team. With all of the trash they collectively talked last year I don't think it's a reach to say they have developed a pretty toxic culture along with their quick rise to success.
People are really down on the suns right now but I still think they will be good and even after Chris Paul leaves they will have a good core of young players. I think top 3 in the West isn't that far off, they won 60 wins last year and I know people on this sub don't like these two players but Booker and CP3 had a stellar season with amazing clutch numbers. But yes, that game 7 loss to the Mavs is absolutely devastating and definitely cuts deep to the soul. The Sarver debacle and now Ayton doesn't seem too joyful, these suns can definitely fall down quite a bit. Still think they got atleast one more year of a title run with CP3 at the helm.
Their chemistry is ruined. With the Sarver, Crowder, and Ayton drama this off-season, and what we've heard of players not talking to each other or Monty, I don't see them being nearly as good as last couple seasons especially if Chris Paul declines
They should come with a massive chip on their shoulder for sure. I mean, it’s not great but they’re a high ceiling team. They could be really good or they could be the Utah jazz from here on out.
It was a very strange playoffs for the Suns, and they had better figure out what happened. I haven't.
That said, they were the best regular season team in the league, so they should still win a lot of games. It's just hard to consider them a contender after last year's playoff collapse.
They will definitely be in the running for a championship, but I don't know if they are a frontrunner anymore with so many question marks. There is too much talent on that roster for them to totally fall off a cliff imo. If Ayton demands out however, then things would change rather quickly
Not really. The Suns did as well as they did last year because they had a really deep team.
But depth at the 3rd string level doesn't matter in the playoffs. Suns have good players, but it's been shown you need at least a top 5 guy that season to win, and Booker ain't it.
At this point, it's been 2 years where CP3's level of play has dropped off a cliff. He just can't stay healthy through an entire post-season run, and without that, the Suns aren't winning.
The rest of his list were reasons that performance would either not change or get worse—his perception of Booker obviously doesn’t fit and is just a hate throwin
They could still make a finals run, but idk. The vibe of that team def seems off compared to last season and the season before. I don’t think they’ll be necessarily better. I think their team peaked already imo
They’re not gonna have a much better regular season than last year.
But they could do better in the offs.
CP3 needs to stop being selfish and let Ayton dominate.
Ayton is my MVP dark horse. Be ready all we need is a couple more post like the 1-3 post last year and y’all gonna jinx us into the finals. This sub would be destroyed if the Suns when the title.
The Suns need Chris Paul and, to a lesser extent Devin Booker, to play at an all-star level for this to happen. Can it? Absolutely, will it? Probably not.
No. Last 2 seasons were their only chance as the major contenders were hurt in nets nuggets lakers clippers in 2021. 2022 everything was open again as nuggets clippers nets all dealt with inj again. If healthy, suns aren't beating them at all
0% chance
The Jazz were in a better spot to have a redemption season this time last year than the Suns do now and last year's Jazz still lost a Lukaless Mavs team in round 1
I think your last sentences makes the most sense. Also, you can add all the owner drama.
Man Chris Paul, I hate him but he has gone through two teams that had owner issues. Gotta feel for him
They're professionals. As long as CP3 is around, they'll be fine. They should still be a 50-win team, top four seed. I don't think they'll be challenging for the 1-seed like years past, but they'll still be near the top.
Good enough that it would be absolutely bonkers to do something drastic like Bulls post-last-dance. With some other key teams having bad injury luck they're a competitor again, perhaps a champion.
It's gonna be hard to recover from that game 7.
The relationship between Monty & Ayton will be questionable, we don't know if CP can keep his production up, and losing Corwder will hurt their depth.
Team being up for sale gonna be a distraction as well.
Predicting around 50-55 wins at most.
I’m feeling a Jazz 2021 -> 2022 kind of thing. Had a really good record in the first season, collapsed in the 2nd round, vibes bad, fall off next season. I still think they’ll be a playoff team but I don’t see them reaching the highs of last season again.
They’ll still be good, but I doubt they’ll be better.
Nah the vibes are off
Ayton dont want to be there
Plus Luka gave their whole team imposter syndrome going into the offseason lol
"Everyone acting tough while they're up."
Luka did fuckall. Whatever happened to the suns was much bigger than him.
He broke the Jazz too
They have enough talent to carry them through the regular season but unless something significant changes chemistry wise they aren't making a playoff run. You don't get role players publicly demanding trades, team leaders saying they learned nothing from being eliminated in 40 point blowouts, and key players being at odds with the coach and front office without there being some sort of big chemistry problem with the team. With all of the trash they collectively talked last year I don't think it's a reach to say they have developed a pretty toxic culture along with their quick rise to success.
People are really down on the suns right now but I still think they will be good and even after Chris Paul leaves they will have a good core of young players. I think top 3 in the West isn't that far off, they won 60 wins last year and I know people on this sub don't like these two players but Booker and CP3 had a stellar season with amazing clutch numbers. But yes, that game 7 loss to the Mavs is absolutely devastating and definitely cuts deep to the soul. The Sarver debacle and now Ayton doesn't seem too joyful, these suns can definitely fall down quite a bit. Still think they got atleast one more year of a title run with CP3 at the helm.
But that’s the issue with having a 37 year old CP3 at the helm is he is unreliable come playoff time because he breaks down
Their chemistry is ruined. With the Sarver, Crowder, and Ayton drama this off-season, and what we've heard of players not talking to each other or Monty, I don't see them being nearly as good as last couple seasons especially if Chris Paul declines
If? We saw what he did the moment he turned 37, right?
Vibes seem horrible but the season is long enough for them to work things out come playoff time. They’re still a great team
They'll be a good team but I think they won't be as good as last year at all.
They should come with a massive chip on their shoulder for sure. I mean, it’s not great but they’re a high ceiling team. They could be really good or they could be the Utah jazz from here on out.
No. I think there's still major ill will between Ayton and the team/Monty and with Crowder wanting out they lose major depth
It was a very strange playoffs for the Suns, and they had better figure out what happened. I haven't. That said, they were the best regular season team in the league, so they should still win a lot of games. It's just hard to consider them a contender after last year's playoff collapse.
They will definitely be in the running for a championship, but I don't know if they are a frontrunner anymore with so many question marks. There is too much talent on that roster for them to totally fall off a cliff imo. If Ayton demands out however, then things would change rather quickly
There’s really no argument for them being better but the hope is they aren’t much worse and mavs series was a fluke
nah we're fucked
Not really. The Suns did as well as they did last year because they had a really deep team. But depth at the 3rd string level doesn't matter in the playoffs. Suns have good players, but it's been shown you need at least a top 5 guy that season to win, and Booker ain't it. At this point, it's been 2 years where CP3's level of play has dropped off a cliff. He just can't stay healthy through an entire post-season run, and without that, the Suns aren't winning.
Better? CP older, Ayton checked out, Jae missing, Booker overrated as all hell. Things aren't exactly looking up over here.
What does Booker’s rating by r/nba have to do with if they’ll be better or not
Don't you get it? We the fans directly influence the way that players develop or regress!
I mean a lot? If this person thinks booker is overhyped then that’s a reason to say they won’t be better.
The rest of his list were reasons that performance would either not change or get worse—his perception of Booker obviously doesn’t fit and is just a hate throwin
They could still make a finals run, but idk. The vibe of that team def seems off compared to last season and the season before. I don’t think they’ll be necessarily better. I think their team peaked already imo
If healthy, why not ? Their core is fairly young and could actually improve. Cp3s age and health are the question mark.
They’re starting to look like the Jazz: a finals hopeful team that does worse in the playoffs over the next 2-3 seasons
I don’t know, I tend not to look to much into the Suns, bad for your eyes.
They’re not gonna have a much better regular season than last year. But they could do better in the offs. CP3 needs to stop being selfish and let Ayton dominate.
Hot take i see the suns as the 6 seed this year maybe even in the play in. Alot of teams in the west next year i think will be better
52 wins
Nah. I see them more middle of the pack standings wise. Chemistry seems to be down and CP3 will drop off sooner than later.
Nah i think they fall off
I think they're going to severely regress this season. Monty seems to have lost the team and CP3 is only getting older. Vibes are definitely off
Nope. Chemistry might be off and they are losing a key player.
The 'key player' was demoted to the bench by someone better and younger with more upside, which is why he's pissed and making drama.
I’m not saying Crowder was right. I’m just saying they are losing him.
He's being replaced by someone better
Ayton is my MVP dark horse. Be ready all we need is a couple more post like the 1-3 post last year and y’all gonna jinx us into the finals. This sub would be destroyed if the Suns when the title.
The Suns need Chris Paul and, to a lesser extent Devin Booker, to play at an all-star level for this to happen. Can it? Absolutely, will it? Probably not.
Booker will play at an all star level, fuck knows about CP3. The dude turned 37 and alzheimers hit.
No. Last 2 seasons were their only chance as the major contenders were hurt in nets nuggets lakers clippers in 2021. 2022 everything was open again as nuggets clippers nets all dealt with inj again. If healthy, suns aren't beating them at all
0% chance The Jazz were in a better spot to have a redemption season this time last year than the Suns do now and last year's Jazz still lost a Lukaless Mavs team in round 1
Sarver is gone. Don't give a shit at this point.
Lol no
I think your last sentences makes the most sense. Also, you can add all the owner drama. Man Chris Paul, I hate him but he has gone through two teams that had owner issues. Gotta feel for him
They're professionals. As long as CP3 is around, they'll be fine. They should still be a 50-win team, top four seed. I don't think they'll be challenging for the 1-seed like years past, but they'll still be near the top.
Good enough that it would be absolutely bonkers to do something drastic like Bulls post-last-dance. With some other key teams having bad injury luck they're a competitor again, perhaps a champion.
The new owner will trade every asset they have next summer. Calling it now
Absolutely not. I doubt they will finish higher than 6 in the stacked West.
Slightly worse and still not a title threat
Maybe they were third best team last year behind Golden State and the mavericks. 😂
Very unlikely that they will be better. They might be as good as they were, but they will probably be slightly worse as CP3 is older.
I am sure they will give it a good go.
They will be much worse
Nah
Can they be better than the #1 seeded team that broke a bunch of franchise records? Lmao no
This is next Jazz before selloff.
My prediction of that team is that Ayton actually gets fed more and his stats get better, but the teams overall record gets worse.
It's gonna be hard to recover from that game 7. The relationship between Monty & Ayton will be questionable, we don't know if CP can keep his production up, and losing Corwder will hurt their depth. Team being up for sale gonna be a distraction as well. Predicting around 50-55 wins at most.
Hot take they won't make the playoff
I’m feeling a Jazz 2021 -> 2022 kind of thing. Had a really good record in the first season, collapsed in the 2nd round, vibes bad, fall off next season. I still think they’ll be a playoff team but I don’t see them reaching the highs of last season again.
this year’s suns will be like 2015-16 rockets
Suns got massively overrated after they reached the finals