All-Time Phoenix Suns team: Starters and reserves

Starting Frontcourt

Now the forwards. At the 3 I’m going with ’05-’06 Shawn Marion. The Matrix is the perfect off-the-ball player who can virtually do it all on the court. Marion had amazing stats for an off-ball player in 2006, putting up 21 points per game and 11 rebounds on 52% shooting while a keeping a respectable 33 percent from 3 as a big man.

Marion could also dunk on anybody, play elite defense, run the pick-and-roll, and he did all this without having a lot of plays run for him. Combining Marion with the playmaking of Booker and Nash is perfect for the run-and-gun offense the Suns have liked to run in the past.

My power forward is to no surprise: ’92-’93 Charles Barkley, the MVP of the NBA that season, and one of the best rebounders in the history of the game. Barkley was a 25 point and 12 rebound guy that season. Chuck was not an elite shooter but still couldn’t be stopped. He could get it inside, had post moves down, and could shoot the ball when he had it going. Barkley led the Suns to their second and last NBA Finals appearance in 1993, showing he knew what it takes to win.

My starting center is going to be ’07-’08 Amar’e Stoudemire. Stoudemire was a high-flying big man who was known to put defenders on a poster almost nightly. He had a knockdown mid-range shot, and as we already know, is the perfect pick-and-roll partner with Nash.

While Amar’e was never a great rebounder, on this team he wouldn’t need to be with likes of Barkley and Marion taking care of that.

STAT made the All-Star game and All-NBA 2nd team in 2008, averaging 25 points per game and 9 rebounds on 59 percent from the field and 80 percent from the foul line.