Phoenix Suns fans: keep the season in perspective

The Phoenix Suns’ NBA season is into the final leg before the playoffs, and it is important to keep the bigger picture in mind, particularly as Suns fans.

Most power rankings are consistently placing Phoenix among the league’s best teams, Chris Paul has proved as impactful as advertised and the young team has solidly built on the momentum of the 8-0 bubble run of last season.

It is generally a good time to be a Phoenix Suns basketball fan

Look a little closer though and you will see plenty of naysayers, NBA enthusiasts, and even Suns fans that are discrediting this year’s success.

Instead of getting flustered by these takes, take some time to reflect on the path to this point and these signs of the team’s upward trajectory.

Since entering the league in 2015, Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker finally had some organizational and team stability

It feels like Devin Booker has been the face of the Phoenix Suns for ages, but he is still somehow only 24 years old. He has had nearly as many head coaches as years he has played professionally. Starting in 2015, Booker has played for Jeff Hornacek, Earl Watson, Jay Triano, Igor Kokoskov, and now Monty Williams.

Williams has had a fair share of criticism for his playcalling, but it is hard to argue with the locker room culture he has instilled.

The players love him and he has shown growth as a coach. Casual fans often overreact and call for a coach to be fired, but they usually fail to consider the tricky process of finding a successor that offers clear improvement.

Williams has earned his keep and the chance to grow with the team.

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver is letting James Jones handle basketball operations.

That sentence may sound like common sense since Jones is the current general manager of the team, but Sarver has been one of the more involved NBA owners in recent memory. Besides the infamous goat incident, he has had a long history of rubbing players the wrong way and being vocal about his opinions on team decisions.

Owners have a very real impact on the perception of a team. Just look at the New York Knicks and James Dolan. New York is a huge market, but mismanagement and short-sighted decisions stunted the team for years.

The Knicks are getting out of their own way more these days and they are another young team on the rise, but it goes to show how important leadership at the top of an NBA franchise can be to long-term success.

The less that Sarver’s name comes up in the news, the better it likely bodes for the Suns. If Sarver can avoid any rash decisions or controversies, Jones can continue building on the success the team has garnered.

The Phoenix Suns franchise is improving its reputation as a destination for players and establishing a winning culture.

Small market teams will always be at some sort of disadvantage when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent in the NBA.

This is why establishing a winning culture and identity is so crucial.

The San Antonio Spurs have been the blueprint of success for decades due to their strong culture and consistent ability to find talent through the draft.