The Phoenix Suns have a tough squad, but so do other teams within the western conference.
Specifically in their own division, as the Golden State Warriors retain arguably the league's top lineup and are primed to make another deep push in the postseason.
The Los Angeles Clippers acquired John Wall in the offseason and hope a healthy trio including him, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George can finally push them over the hump.
Then, of course, you have LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Supporting pieces such as Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley also hope to give the Lakers their second championship since James' arrival.
The Athletic recently released their predictions for the upcoming season, and the Suns fell to third in the Pacific after pacing the league in wins last year:
Suns Projected to Finish Third in Pacific Division
John Hollinger’s prediction: 50-32, tied for fourth in West
"There’s a theory that Phoenix’s championship window has closed. It’s hard to argue. The Suns return the core of last season’s team that finished with the NBA’s best regular-season record, but a lot has happened since then. Deandre Ayton got paid, but his mindset (Is he happy in Phoenix?) is a mystery. Jae Crowder remains on the roster but isn’t with the team. Chris Paul is amazing, but he’s a year older. Then there’s the whole Robert Sarver mess. Will this team be as good as last season’s? Without a lot of offseason roster additions, the smart answer appears to be no. Crowder’s absence won’t affect the starting five, but it will impact depth. While 50 wins seem a little low, the conclusion is accurate." — Doug Haller
As talented as they are, Phoenix may be one of the league's greatest questions heading into this season.
Can they move past everything that happened in the offseason? Who on the bench will step up? Can leaders such as Chris Paul and Devin Booker finally push this organization towards an NBA championship?
Time will tell.
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