Mar 21, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) controls the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Suns Continue To Be Ranked Low in New Power Rankings

Originally posted on Phoenix Suns on SI | By Brendan Mau | Last updated Aug 8, 2025 4:47 PM ET

The Phoenix Suns are a completely new team with completely new expectations as they head into the 2025-26 season.

After trading away Kevin Durant and buying out Bradley Beal, Phoenix no longer is built like a contender, but instead as an up-and-coming team with young talent, which now notably includes Jalen Green (23), Ryan Dunn (22), Mark Williams (23 and Khaman Maluach (18).

The new-look Suns have not seen much respect by power rankings following the offseason, and Bleacher Report was the latest to have the Suns ranked among the bottom-10 teams.

B/R's Andy Bailey ranked Phoenix No. 24 in his power rankings of every team if the 2025-26 NBA Season started today.

Bailey wrote on Phoenix:

"Four short years ago, Devin Booker was in the NBA Finals with a Phoenix Suns squad that included Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges.

"Those four and every single other member of the 2020-21 team is now gone, and Booker is tasked with leading the hodgepodge roster left in the wake of a series of unfortunate moves that saw both KD and Beal come and go.

"Individually, Booker figures to have another strong campaign. Mark Williams will give him good rim-running and defensive anchoring when healthy (he's averaged around 35 games per season for his career). And Jalen Green will have a handful of show-stopping scoring performances.

"But there isn't enough here to seriously challenge in the West. There might not even be enough to make the play-in tournament. So, Suns fans could more or less be forced to wait the next half-decade while the waived-and-stretched portion of Beal's contract is still on the books for about $20 million per year."

Without any control of their first-round picks until 2032, the Suns will have to hope the development of their new young core around Booker pans out in the coming years.

Based on how the Suns have been ranked, many do not expect the 2025-26 season to be the year that this team makes a big leap after finishing last season with a 36-46 record and missing the playoffs, especially with how loaded the rest of the Western Conference is.

The Suns are looking to build around a new gritty and defensive identity, which has been preached by owner Mat Ishbia this offseason, and will hope this new mindset will jumpstart the retooling of the team next season.