Phoenix Suns Predicted To Remain Steady in Western Conference Standings

The consensus on what expectations should be for the Phoenix Suns in the upcoming 2026-27 season are very divided amongst the NBA at-large - at least at the moment.

Phoenix surpassed all expectations in 2025-26, as they won 45 games despite being widely expected to regress even more from a 36-win 2024-25 campaign. 

Star shooting guard Devin Booker and company are looking to expand on the success that the overhauled organizational strategy encountered, although not everyone is sold that an improvement will be sowed. 

NBA.com writer John Schuhmann has the Suns as the seventh best team in the West in the dog days of the offseason, which would essentially be a retread of what Phoenix put forward last season. 

Phoenix's offseason moves have been met with a mixed reception, as the overwhelming sentiment is positive around the organization re-signing guards Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin, as well as reaching an economical agreement with center Mark Williams. The trade for former Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges remains a divisive topic. 

The transition from Charlotte's offense to the one installed by Phoenix head coach Jordan Ott won't be a seamless one for Bridges, but he has the ability to be a Swiss Army knife if he buys in properly. Ott's exceptional staff will also create a softer runway for the new-look team to land on as well. 

One more question does surround Phoenix according to Schuhmann despite a small sample size pointing to the said question being a non-issue. 

This is whether shooting guard Jalen Green receiving more playing time is a good thing or not. While Phoenix's offense excelled in the small sample of Green playing alongside Booker and forward Dillon Brooks, the premise of sizing up three or more ball dominant players that prefer a jump shot-heavy diet over pressuring the rim is a risky proposition.

At the end of the day, Green showed enough of the high-end scoring that made him a lottery pick five years ago - giving the Suns a reason to invest in him further.

While Phoenix should gain the benefit of the doubt heading into the new season off of their own merit, uncertainty across the rest of the Western Conference helps their case - even as they face their own set of questions. The Portland Trail Blazers enter the season as arguably the biggest boom-or-bust team in the entire NBA, while the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers are potentially stuck in no-man's land. 

Phoenix's expected race to earning a top-six seed in the West will be one of the most discussed topics in the conference this season - buckle up for the ride.