Comparing the two cores
At the moment the Phoenix Suns do not have a “LeBron James,” a bonafied, undeniable, inarguable superstar that is the recognized heart of the roster by fans all across the league.
Suns fans know that that is very likely Devin Booker, but because he has not taken them to the playoffs (and hasn’t even won more than 24 games while in the league), he does not have the level of respect and recognition league-wide that he deserves.
The unique thing about that is that there is a chance that the Suns can still acquire that kind of player and place him alongside Booker only enhancing the roster from the top.
Obviously we hope that Deandre Ayton can be that guy as well, but with a top draft pick coming to them, as well as cap space and pieces that are able to be shifted around to acquire a star in either free agency (if that’s possible this offseason) or in trade, Phoenix is in just as viable a position to make positive roster changes as the Lakers are.
Phoenix Suns
And honestly, it is possible that they are in a better position since it seems to be that LeBron James is not the kind of player that stars around the league are flocking to play with, which could be a benefit to a young player like Booker who has the credentials of both being an uber-talented player, as well as not being a negative force on a roster.
Is it then possible that the relative dysfunction of the two franchises as well as the differences in the control of the team’s two stars might actually make Phoenix a more favorable locale for potential player acquisitions, making the situation still more palatable for a potential new head coach?
A potential head coach is going to want assurances from both franchise’s that there is a plan in place to acquire the talent necessary for success, meaning that if Phoenix happens to outline a more (if not just equally as) logical approach towards improvement, based on the combined rosters already in place, it is not like L.A. is going to jump out as the guaranteed go-to destination.
There too is the Lottery situation: while I wrote a while back that Suns fans should be nervous that the NBA will find a way to jump the Lakers ahead of Phoenix in the Lottery to get LeBron Zion Williamson, if a potential head coach does not believe that the fix is in, he will like the Suns’ number one odds at landing a top-two pick in the draft, and thus the better-than-LA chances of adding another young star to the roster, as well as all the other opportunities through the acquisition of current talent that the franchise will have at it’s disposal.