Ceiling, floor for Phoenix Suns: Will questionable depth prevent a championship?

The Phoenix Suns have been steadily improving over the last few seasons and, on paper, look the part of a team poised for a deep playoff run. However, whether they are capable of winning a title remains up for debate.

Here's our prediction of the best- and worst-case scenarios for the Suns this season:

Ceiling: 52-30 and NBA champions

Phoenix shook up the NBA landscape by acquiring 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant at last season's trade deadline but was embarrassed in the Western Conference semifinals for the second straight year, losing to the eventual champion Nuggets in six games. To ensure that won't happen again, new owner Mat Ishbia continued to make splashy moves this offseason, notably acquiring three-time All-Star Bradley Beal and center Jusuf Nurkić, along with a revamped bench.

With Durant, Beal and Devin Booker, the Suns are not only in position to surpass last season's fourth-seeded finish, but boast arguably the most talented offensive trio in the Association. Although the reserves have some questions, the new additions should outperform last year's unit, which posted the third-lowest field goal percentage among all benches (43.7). 

The Suns were 8-0 with Durant healthy in the regular season and managed to be the only team to beat Denver more than once in the playoffs. As long as their newly formed star-studded lineup stays healthy, they have just as great a chance as anyone to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Floor: 48-34 and second-round playoff exit

Of course, expecting all of Phoenix's stars to stay healthy over the entire season is simply unrealistic, a factor that may ultimately cost the team a title. Last season, Booker's 53 games played were the most among him, Durant and Beal. That's not to mention that the team lacks a traditional point guard, leaving Beal to fill that role, and while he has the talent to transition to a different playing style, he still averages just 4.3 assists for his career. 

While the reserves should make their shots at a higher clip than last season's unit, it'll likely take time for the unit to gel and figure out who the go-to scorer will be. Damion Lee, who is out indefinitely with a meniscus injury, scored the most points off the bench last season (545), though he only averaged 8.2 points per game. Newly acquired guard Grayson Allen might be the best bet to shoulder those responsibilities, but he's not an optimal first scoring option off the bench.

Having a 35-year-old Durant as the team's best interior defender isn't ideal either, especially considering the Suns likely need to get past Nikola Jokić and perhaps even Giannis Antetokounmpo to win their first championship in franchise history. The flaws of this roster are evident. Phoenix will just have to hope its stars can overcome them.