Phoenix Suns Fans Should Be Hopeful

The Phoenix Suns haven’t made the playoffs since 2009-2010, a stretch of 7 seasons, which is the longest span of futility in franchise history. However, when compared to other bottom-feeding teams in the NBA, there is plenty to be hopeful about on Planet Orange.

I recently spent a week and a half on vacation in Orlando, Florida with my wife. We happened to be listening to local sports radio on the day that Magic GM Rob Hennigan was fired. As we drove to our vacation activities for the day, Magic fans called in to give their viewpoint on the team and the next steps needed in Orlando. Many of the complaints centered around trades that the Magic had clearly lost, and the recent Top-5 picks that Orlando has spent on seemingly draft busts .

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Fans clamored for names like Shaq and Grant Hill to come in to lead the Magic front office. It was clear that few, if any, of the callers or hosts thought that the Magic were simply a step or two away from contending. While not in quite as dire straits as some other NBA teams, sentiment seemed to agree that the Magic were still multiple moves and two to three years away from being a contender.

As I sat and listened to all of this, I realized that as a Suns fan, I’m lucky to be a fan of a team where Phoenix currently sits. Sure, the Suns just had one of the worst seasons in the franchise’s history. Yes, we haven’t had playoff basketball in Arizona since 2010. But the future is bright.

One could argue that this team is realistically one big move away from being a perennial playoff team once again. Devin Booker is a superstar in the making and continues to grow his game. Eric Bledsoe is at his peak on a fantastic salary. It appears that the Suns knocked the 2016 NBA draft out of the park. In addition to all of this, Phoenix still has valuable future picks (thanks again, Miami). The future is far from certain, but it’s filled with hope, which is more than some teams in the league can ever say (hello, Sacramento).

As Suns fans, we need to keep this in mind. In all likelihood, the Suns won’t be ready to contend next season. But they aren’t very far off. With a nice trade and a good selection in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Suns could be in position to regain their status as NBA Playoffs regulars. The fact that I can write that sentence with a straight face puts us light years ahead of some of the other teams around our position in the lottery. As fans, we should focus on the development of the young guys over wins and losses in the short-term future. If Booker, Chriss, Ulis and others continue to grow, we could be in line for some exciting Suns seasons down the road.

The future is bright, let’s stay hopeful and enjoy the journey.

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