In the first couple of days of the 2017 NBA Free Agency period, there has been fireworks going off across the entire league. The Thunder, Rockets, Clippers, and Timberwolves have all made big splashes to their lineups for this upcoming season. Overall, the Western Conference will hold on to the crown as the supreme Conference in the NBA for the next few seasons at least.
What this also has meant, for small market teams in the Western Conference like the Phoenix Suns, is that there won’t be any playoff pushes, or seasons of relevancy for a few more years. The back end of the playoffs (seeds 6-8), that the Suns could even begin to dream of, will now be fought over by teams who are much more equipped for success in the short term.
Fortunately for Suns fans however, there has been a hashtag surfacing around the Twittersphere that has started to gain traction, #TheTimeline.
This hashtag is a way for Phoenix Suns fans to feel optimistic about their squad full of youngsters that have promise, but are not near battling for playoff seeding in the West just yet. It is nice to see that this motto has stuck within the Phoenix fan community through all of what has gone on this offseason in the Western Conference.
With teams that were already ahead of the Suns like the Rockets, Clippers, Warriors, etc., each who have made moves to maintain or improve their rosters for next year, as well as teams that missed the playoffs last season in the Timberwolves and Pelicans but are also making good moves themselves, it could be an easy fuss to get into as a Suns fan.
Being one of the youngest teams in the league, to go along with not being big buyers this free agency period, Phoenix has made it clear they are still trusting the vision that they have in store for their franchise which has them making splashes in a few years.
#TheTimeline.
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Today, July 2nd, is Marquese Chriss’s 20th birthday. The second team All-Rookie selection is still unable to legally sip alcohol, and he isn’t the only Suns player with that restriction. In fact, 5 of the 17 uniformed players are under the age of 21. Further, 11 players on the roster that are 25 or younger. The youth that is on display in the Valley of the Suns is incredible.
Suns fans are believing in the growth of their young studs and future high picks in drafts to come to lead them to relevancy; it just will take a few more seasons.
For more analysis, follow Drew on Twitter @Drew_Zlogar