Opening Night is around the corner. Let’s look at some recent history regarding the starting five.
The Phoenix Suns 2024-25 season opener will be here before you know it. It’s time to take a quick trip down memory lane, remembering the good, the bad, and the ugly from the past decade.
With this year’s starting five announced by Mike Budenholzer, what better time to dissect and rank the starting five from each of the past 10 season openers for the Phoenix Suns?
Team Records by Year
- 2023-24: 49-33
- 2022-23: 45-37
- 2021-22: 64-18
- 2020-21: 51-21*
- 2019-20: 34-39*
- 2018-19: 19-63
- 2017-18: 21-61
- 2016-17: 24-58
- 2015-16: 23-59
- 2014-15: 39-43
*Covid season(s), less games
Disclaimer: This list will not account for players who were injured on opening night, for example, Bradley Beal did not play in the season opener last year.
#1: The 2021-22 Phoenix Suns (64-18)
Chris Paul – Devin Booker – Mikal Bridges – Jae Crowder – Deandre Ayton
This squad won 64 games. 18 straight at one point. It looked like they were on a mission… until they weren’t. Still, this year’s team had that built-in chemistry and a version of Devin Booker that entered the MVP conversation.
#2: The 2020-21 Phoenix Suns (51-21)
Chris Paul – Devin Booker – Mikal Bridges – Jae Crowder – Deandre Ayton
It feels strange putting the team that went to the NBA Finals anywhere other than the top, but to be frank, I think the 2021-22 team was better and more experienced.
Playoffs are circumstantial every year…sometimes breaks fall your way, other times they don’t, but that Game 7 collapse to Dallas won’t impact how I measure the overall starting five at that moment in time.
#3) The 2022-23 Phoenix Suns (45-37)
Chris Paul – Devin Booker – Mikal Bridges – Cam Johnson – Deandre Ayton
While this team was disappointing and quickly fell off with injuries, poor chemistry, etc., the talent on Opening Night was still certainly there, and for that reason, I slot them at 3. Paul’s age was finally starting to show. Things were bad. But then KD happened.
#4) The 2023-24 Phoenix Suns (49-33)
Devin Booker – Grayson Allen – Josh Okogie – Kevin Durant – Jusuf Nurkic
This team didn’t have Beal on Opening Night, otherwise I’d swap them with the number three ranked 2022-23 squad. The pairing of Booker and Durant still clears any duo they’ve had this past decade.
#5) The 2019-20 Phoenix Suns (34-39)*
Ricky Rubio – Devin Booker – Kelly Oubre – Dario Saric – Deandre Ayton
If only DA didn’t get suspended, this team is playoff bound, make no mistake about it. The Bubble run was special and they might’ve done more damage if they made the playoffs.
This is the team that started the positive momentum shift and broke the poor culture.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
#6) The 2014-15 Phoenix Suns (39-43)
Eric Bledsoe – Goran Dragic – Marcus Morris – Markieff Morris – Mason Plumlee
This team had the three-headed monster of Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic, and Isaiah Thomas. The experiment fresh off a surprise 48-win season was a disaster. The Twins and Plumlee. What a time to be alive.
This is when the wheels began to fall off. A talented but flawed team that began to spiral.
#7 The 2016-17 Phoenix Suns (24-58)
Eric Bledsoe – Devin Booker – TJ Warren – Jared Dudley – Tyson Chandler
This was another rough one. On paper it looks like you are surrounding young Book with some seasoned vets and talent, but this team just did not click.
We had to sit through some tough times…
#8) The 2015-16 Phoenix Suns (23-59)
Eric Bledsoe – Brandon Knight – PJ Tucker – Markieff Morris – Tyson Chandler
This was a weird team. PJ Tucker was fun, I guess. Not much to write home about here.
#9) The 2017-18 Phoenix Suns (21-61)
Eric Bledsoe – Devin Booker – Josh Jackson – TJ Warren – Tyson Chandler
It seemed like there was some potential here on paper. It all quickly collapsed in about the worst outcome possible across the board. From “I don’t wanna be here” to Josh Jackson’s no-showing at a fan event, it was brutal.
#10) The 2018-19 Phoenix Suns (19-63)
Isaiah Canaan – Devin Booker – Trevor Ariza – Ryan Anderson – Deandre Ayton
This was a gross season from top to bottom. There were no point guards, Ariza quit, and Anderson was clearly washed. It was just bad.
Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images
Where do you rank this year’s projected lineup in this group? Let us know below!
Tyus Jones – Bradley Beal – Devin Booker – Kevin Durant – Jusuf Nurkic