Valley of the Suns
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Phoenix Suns: The NBA’s Most Depressed Fan Base?

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at US Airways Center. The Magic defeated the Suns 93-90. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at US Airways Center. The Magic defeated the Suns 93-90. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 27, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris (11) and center Alex Len (21) and forward P.J. Tucker (17) and forward Marcus Morris (15) and head coach Jeff Hornacek and guard Eric Bledsoe (2) look on during the final moments of the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at US Airways Center. The Trail Blazers won the game 87-81. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

Current State Of The Franchise

The 2014-15 Phoenix Suns were a significant improvement over the Suns we saw post-Nash. This rendition is younger, it has a decent core locked in on some favorable contracts (in the context of the NBA’s salary cap exploding over the next few years) and it competes.

But that doesn’t mean this past season wasn’t completely and thoroughly disappointing.

Perhaps that’s what happens when a team wins 48 games out of nowhere and expectations shoot through the roof. But 2013-14 went from feeling like a sign of things to come to a fluke. And the manner in which it all went down made it even worse.

By bringing in Isaiah Thomas, even on an extremely good deal, the Suns wound up alienating the closest thing they had to being the face of the franchise. Playing Goran Dragic — a point guard who was Third Team All-NBA the year before — at small forward pretty much did the trick. But once he announced he wouldn’t be re-signing with the team this summer, everything fell apart.

Phoenix had to take what they could get for the Dragon, and they also panic-traded away Isaiah Thomas. They got another young combo guard in the process, but it cost the Suns their coveted top-five protected pick from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Brandon Knight failed to adjust to his new team and only played 11 games thanks to an ankle injury. Alex Len broke his nose and missed the last few games of the season. Gerald Green‘s wildly inconsistent minutes felt symbolic for the drastic differences between 2013-14 and 2014-15. Eric Bledsoe mostly failed to step up as a superstar leader, showing that he’s a great player, but not quite capable of being elite.

All of that is without mentioning losing on four buzzer-beaters and five total game-winners.

And then there were the Morris twins, who were, by and large, a PR disaster even if they improved on the court. Marcus Morris was seen screaming at his head coach. Markieff Morris nearly led the league in technicals and called out the fan support at US Airways Center. And now the duo has been charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault.

When you mix in the team’s former success, the recent down years and their major step backward in 2014-15 after finally showing signs of life again in 2013-14, it’s been pretty hard being a Suns fan over the last few three decades.

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