5 Phoenix Suns legends who would be great fits on today’s roster

The Phoenix Suns could use some more help on their roster, but what if they would get it from a legend of the past? Who would be the best fit?

Despite never winning a championship and horrendous last 10 years, the Phoenix Suns are still a historically good franchise, and a big thanks for that goes to the legends of this team. Great players like Alvan Adams, Charles Barkley, Steve Nash, and Amar’e Stoudemire are some of the biggest names to play in the Valley of the Sun. When looking at the Suns’ current roster, it’s easy to wonder which Phoenix Suns legend would be the best fit for the modern-day Suns.

Before we jump into this five-player ranking, let’s look at some of the players who are on the Suns right now and what their current role is, beginning with starting point guard, Ricky Rubio. Rubio is 3rd in the NBA in total assists and assists per game. Ricky is also one of the biggest, if not the biggest reason why the Suns look like a completely different team than last season, so that needs to be kept in mind while selecting which legend to add.

Next up we have Kelly Oubre Jr., the flashy small forward out of Kansas has been a fan favorite since arriving in Phoenix. Oubre is a force on both ends of the court. One of the best parts of his game is his ability to still have an impact without the ball in his hands, which is nice for a team with such historically good ball handlers to choose from.

Another guy to keep in mind is Deandre Ayton, a walking double-double who has shown very impressive progress on the defensive end, and would be a great fit next to any of the Suns’ legends, whether it’s a guard or a forward for him to play alongside.

Now onto the main man of the 2020 Suns, the first time NBA All-Star, Devin Booker. Suns fans could go on for days about the talents of Booker, from his shooting and scoring to his playmaking and his mentality that separates him from the average NBA player and that’s what some of what makes him the star of this team.

If the Phoenix Suns could add one great player from the past to this roster, who would be the best fit?

So which Suns legend would be the best fit for this group?

5. Shawn Marion

The Matrix played for the Suns from 1999-2008 and is one of the best ever to play for Phoenix. What would make Marion a great fit on this team is his versatility. Shawn could play the 3 or the 4 and would give 110% on both sides. While the Suns had some success with Bridges and Oubre at the forwards at the end of the season, Marion would be a big upgrade to Bridges.

Plugging Marion in at small or power forward alongside Ayton, Booker, Oubre, and Rubio would work wonders for this team. his ability to play off the ball and still average 20 points a game along with his elite defense and rebounding would definitely improve this squad.

4. Tom Chambers

Suns former single-game scoring record holder, and the first-ever signed unrestricted free agent in NBA history was a high-flying power forward who could also shoot the ball, which is definitely something today’s Suns lack.

Once again, by benching Mikal Bridges, the Suns could insert an amazing pick and roll partner for Booker and Rubio. Chambers once scored 60 in a game during his time in Phoenix. Integrating a talent who compiled 20,049 career points to the likes of Devin Booker should transform the team into Utah Jazz level playoff seeding consistently.

3. Amar’e Stoudemire

Phoenix Suns fans already know how deadly the two-man game between Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire was. If you were to combine the passing of the Suns current starting point guard Ricky Rubio with Amar’e in his prime, it may not be exciting but it would produce consistent scoring every night, which the Suns severely lack.

One of the most underrated parts of Stoudemire’s game was his mid-range shooting, everyone knew his reputation as a uber-athletic big man who could dunk on anybody, but he could stroke the 15-18 foot jump shot with no problem. This too would be a great asset to the Suns today.

2. Charles Barkley

Yes, another power forward (who would’ve guessed?). The reason Barkley is 2nd and in my opinion head and shoulders above the other three choices is simply because of his dominance. Barkley is a former league MVP, Hall of Famer, and one of the best power forwards of all time. Chuck turned the Suns into a championship contender his first year in Phoenix, and would very likely do the same in today’s game.

Even if you don’t imagine Barkley would develop a consistent 3-point shot now, he would still be one of the best bigs in the league. The Round Mound of Rebound would fix the Suns’ lack of rebounding at that power forward position and make this team a real contender.

1. Steve Nash

Finally, the choice for number one, and the best for the modern-day Phoenix Suns has got to be Steve Nash. What is there not to say about Nash? He’s a perfect teammate, All-Time great at passing, lights out shooter, and pound for pound one of the toughest to ever do it.

Steve Nash and Devin Booker would immediately become one of the best backcourts in NBA history, and obviously pass Johnson and Kidd as the most talented backcourt in Suns history. M-V-Steve would make the game easier for all his teammates and would be a mentor for the entire Suns’ roster, especially the young guards. Nash’s 16 points and 11 assists per game with 50/40/90 shooting splits would rejuvenate this organization.