Phoenix Suns Are Being Slept on According to Former Rival

Expectations around the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns are wildly different depending on what circle is being asked. 

Some believe that the Suns are moving in the right direction after missing the playoffs in 2024-25, while others see a regression as inevitable. 

One surprising figure in the media world is taking the side of the former. This is none other than Robert Horry, who became a forever villain in the history of the Phoenix franchise due to various antics over his playing career.

Horry took to a recent episode of his podcast to state that the Suns will finish with a better record than many think. This is directly in contention with those that believe Phoenix is destined to take a step back due to the parting of ways with elite three-point shooters Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale, as well as other reasonings. 

There's no denying that the reasons to be skeptical on the Suns are reasonable ones, but there are so many counters to make a statement that the team progresses in 2026-27. 

Among those reasons is a much-discussed breakout candidate Khaman Maluach, who is leading the youth movement charge including wing Rasheer Fleming and rookie Koa Peat. The Suns are also banking on further internal improvement from sixth-year guard Jalen Green, as well as benefitting from freshly acquired forward Miles Bridges.

The fit between Bridges, Green, second-year Sun Dillon Brooks, and five-time All-Star Devin Booker is certainly a question, but the team is more talented on paper. They are also being led by Coach of the Year candidate Jordan Ott, who is being handed a team that is deeper in comparison to last season. 

While the expected finish is up in the air for Phoenix, just how high is their ceiling in the midst of the debate?

It's unrealistic for Phoenix to expect to climb to the top of the Western Conference standings, as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder have a stronghold on the top two spots in the league. It's asking a lot of the Suns to usurp the Minnesota Timberwolves as well. 

Ultimately, it feels semi-realistic for the Suns to climb into the top four in the conference, as the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets both face their own sets of challenges.

Phoenix might not possess the same level of game-changing talent as those mentioned above, but their connectivity, depth, and sheer grit are areas that are difficult to fully measure.