“They looked far and away like the best team in basketball… Then they collapsed against Luka” - Nick Wright says the Phoenix Suns’ title window is closed despite re-signing star big man
The Phoenix Suns might have just had their short-lived destiny come to a closure. Their elimination from the Western Conference semi-finals at the hands of the Luka Doncic led Dallas Mavericks left the NBA world bewildered.
Speaking about the franchise's future, Nick Wright of ESPN shared his thoughts on the team's upcoming campaign. Reports say that the Suns have resigned number one overall pick DeAndre Ayton to a four-year max contract deal.
Wright stated:
“They looked far and away like the best team in basketball… Then they collapsed against Luka”
"The Phoenix Suns' window is closed. I don't look at the Suns, moving forward, as a top-tier contender in the West or for the title. Their championship window was the last 2 years & they fell short."
— @getnickwright on the Suns matching the Pacers offer sheet for Deandre Ayton: https://t.co/fAXMnx1aK8
The Phoenix Suns have had a phenomenal past couple of seasons, following their dominant run to close out the 'NBA Bubble'. The franchise has since gone on to witness tremendous success.
In the summer of 2020, the Phoenix Suns acquired 'All-Star' point guard Chris Paul from the Houston Rockets in a trade. The transfer all but sealed the fortunes of the Arizona-based organization.
With Paul in the driving seat, the Suns went on to win their first Western Conference title.They also made their first NBA Finals trip since the Charles Barkley era.
But that was their finest hour. They were unable to carry out their objective of winning an NBA championship. With the number one seed's lackluster performance leading to a 'Game 7' blowout at home, the Mavericks advanced to the Western Conference Finals.
Wright added:
"The Phoenix Suns' window is closed. I don't look at the Suns, moving forward, as a top-tier contender in the West or for the title. Their championship window was the last 2 years & they fell short."
The Phoenix Suns future
The Suns now have a massive task ahead of them in the upcoming season. Every other Western Conference franchise is revitalizing and rebuilding their squads.
The Clippers have Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and newly captured star point guard John Wall. The Nuggets have Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. returning to aid 'back-to-back MVP' Nikola Jokic. The Warriors have just claimed their fourth championship under the 'Big Three' era.
The Pelicans have CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram with Zion Williamson set to take the league by storm on his return. The Memphis Grizzlies will look to implement their youthful energy onto the aging league as new stars with Ja Morant and company, hungry for more.
Last but not least, the Lakers are on the market in pursuit of strengthening their roster with their sights set on Nets point guard Kyrie Irving. Irving's arrival will see the Lakers form a 'Big Three' in the form of Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
The Suns might just have their championship window come to a close. Ayton resigning with the team is a massive plus. Provided the 'All-Star' duo of Devin Booker and Chris Paul can replicate their past season performances, the Phoenix Suns might just have another crack at a championship.