Despite having never won an NBA championship, the Phoenix Suns have had their fair share of star players throughout the years. They also have three NBA Finals appearances to show for their efforts as well, and while that isn’t enough to satisfy fans, it is more than many other teams.
When you think of the best player in franchise history, right now that title goes to either Charles Barkley or Steve Nash. The latter winning two MVPs while with the franchise he spent 10 seasons playing for, across two different stints with the team.
Looking at the list of Suns players to have their jersey retired, a surprising amount spent six seasons or less with the organization.
Which is in itself no problem. The Suns get to decide whose number they retire, with both Shawn Marion and Amar’e Stoudemire being bestowed with the honor this coming season. Two deserving candidates given all that did in trying to elevate the Suns to the promised land.
Some of their other top players, including Barkley (four seasons), Tom Chambers (five seasons), Connie Hawkins (five seasons) and Paul Westphal (six seasons) might be best known for their time in The Valley, but their careers extended beyond playing for the Suns.
Careers even 20 years ago were shorter than they are now, which accounts for some of these lower numbers. Still, if the criteria to have your number retired is high level play for relatively short stints for the Suns, then who else has now passed the threshold and could find their number retired by the franchise next?
3. Jeff Hornacek
Jeff Hornacek spent the first six seasons of his career with the Suns, and is best known for his time there. During this period he was named an All-Star only once, and was actually gone by the time the Suns made the finals in 1993. That doesn’t help his case here.
What does however is the fact that, alongside Kevin Johnson, he formed one half of the most complete backcourt this franchise has ever had. Over the next few years that title may be taken from Johnson and Harnacek, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal looks an irresistible combo, but we have to give credit where it is due.
Harnacek was an absolute pain to play against, and although he only averaged 13.7 points and 5.4 assists in 468 regular season games for the Suns (343 starts), he started all 40 postseason games he appeared in. In those games he put up 17.6 points and 4.6 assists, and really he should get a pass here for sticking around to coach the Suns during a low point from 2013-16.