Valley of the Suns
Fansided

Suns All-Decade Teams Part Two: 1980s

By Patrick Nash

SACRAMENTO, CA - 1987: Walter Davis #6 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Sacramento Kings circa 1987 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1987 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - 1987: Walter Davis #6 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Sacramento Kings circa 1987 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1987 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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POWER FORWARD

SACRAMENTO, CA – 1989: Tom Chambers #24 of the Phoenix Suns shoots against the Sacramento Kings circa 1989 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1989 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA – 1989: Tom Chambers #24 of the Phoenix Suns shoots against the Sacramento Kings circa 1989 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1989 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

STARTER: TOM CHAMBERS

Ring of Honor Member Chambers joined the Suns in 1988 as the NBA’s first-ever Unrestricted Free Agent and spent five season with the Suns ending following the franchise’s bitter loss to the Chicago Bulls in the ’93 NBA Finals. Beginning his tenure in Phoenix, Chambers was arguably  the biggest star the franchise had employed since Connie Hawkins. In his first season, Chamber set the franchise record for most points scored in a season and single-season average with 25.7 points per game, adding in 8.4 boards as well. He led the Suns to the brink of the FInals, although a loss in the Conference Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers ended what was a magical season run. Chambers followed his incredible season up with another record-breaking year averaging 27.2 points per game, a record that still stands today. As a Sun, Chambers was a four-time All-Star and currently does the pre and post-game shows for the Suns local broadcasts. In his Suns career, Chambers averaged 20.6 PPG, 2.3 APG and 6.6 RPG while shooting 47% from the field and 32% from three. His contributions to the franchise as the league’s first ever signed Unrestricted Free Agent resonate to this day as his signing kicked off an era of Suns basketball that eventually led to the trade of Charles Barkley and the re-defining of the franchise to the level of league-wide respectability that we enjoy today.

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