Suns Falling in Latest NBA Power Rankings

The Phoenix Suns are going into the season with a lot of pessimism surrounding the team.

After trading Kevin Durant and letting Bradley Beal go without any return package, the Suns are hoping Jalen Green can work with Devin Booker in the backcourt to salvage the team. USA Today writer Lorenzo Reyes conducted a recent power rankings where the Suns clocked in at No. 24.

"The return on the Kevin Durant trade won’t impact the team for a few seasons, so this is undoubtedly Devin Booker’s team now," Reyes wrote. "Can he and hyper-athletic guard Jalen Green co-exist?"

The teams ranking below the Suns are the Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets.

That isn't good company for the Suns, but their outlook isn't the sunniest. They don't have much cap space to work with, nor do they have the trade assets to complete a deal that could turn things around. The Suns are also lacking the draft pieces that could help them rebuild, so they are forced to compete with a roster that doesn't have the pieces to win.

The Suns have a decent enough roster not to be the worst team in the league, but Phoenix would probably prefer to have the means to do that. The Suns were bold at the beginning of the decade to try and win with Durant. Now that they have come out of that era unsuccessful, they have backed themselves into a corner and they have to lie in the bed that they have been given.

The Suns will have a few more weeks of vacation before the start of training camp, which begins later this month. The team's first preseason game comes against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 3 in Palm Springs, Calif.