Debating Just How Disappointing Phoenix Suns' Last Era Was

The Phoenix Suns are no stranger to falling just short of the ultimate pursuit of an NBA title.

Nearly 60 years into the existence of the franchise, the team is still awaiting an elusive championship, although the 2020's decade revitalized hope that this goal might finally be accomplished. 

The 2023-25 era isn't a period where the franchise got even close "falling just short," which bred the grounds to label this iteration of the Suns among the most disappointing in all of sports.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report ranked this iteration of the Suns as the 10th most disappointing team in the history of North American professional sports, ranking only behind the 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers and 2020-23 Brooklyn Nets in the NBA hierarchy. 

There are a myriad of factors that contribute to the Suns ranking so high, the most glaring of which being what Phoenix set the stage for prior. The Suns won 115 regular season games between 2020-22, including coming within two victories of an NBA title. The regression from these highs inherently set the franchise up for disappointment. 

Beyond this, freshly minted governor Mat Ishbia went all-in on expanding upon a multi-year window that was already present. The Suns attempted the experiment that the aforementioned Lakers and Nets teams failed at, with Phoenix parting with many more assets than either of them in their own process.

The trio of Devin Booker, 2014 NBA MVP Kevin Durant, and former scoring leader Bradley Beal had promise at the surface. Unfortunately, injuries, redundant roles, and a general lack of chemistry amongst the roster resulted in a sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs.

The 2024-25 season bred even greater disappointment, as it became clear that the 36-win Suns would spell the end of this era. This splits the disappointment into two different parts - one being that Phoenix failed to muster even a singular postseason victory during this era, while Phoenix is still footing the bill for Beal's contract for several more years.

At the end of the day, the Suns went all-in on making the most of the window. Unfortunately, it was marred by poor coaching hires, sloppy roster construction, and a general lack of chemistry between the roster. 

It's absolutely fair to label this era of Suns basketball as one of the biggest disappointments in all of sports. As a matter of fact, there's an argument to be made that the #10 ranking is too low.