Phoenix Suns top 10 players of 2024 - Number 10

The Phoenix Suns are about to wrap up 2024 and unfortunately for the franchise, they find themselves in much the same position as they were 12 months ago. The prospect of winning a first ever NBA title seems as far away as ever, and continued talk of trading for Jimmy Butler has not helped settle things either.

That doesn't mean it was all bad however, as this team did give the fans reason to cheer on some nights during the regular season. In counting down the top 10 Suns players of 2024 though - split across last season and this current one - you will find that some names on this list explain why this team has struggled for consistency and becoming an elite group in the Western Conference.

Which is why we're starting off with Eric Gordon at number 10.

We know what you're thinking on this one. Not only is Gordon no longer with the organization - he headed for the exit doors as soon as he could in the summer - but the roster as a whole is better off without him. That is true, because if you cast your mind back to 2023, Gordon was unhappy with his role in The Valley.

Technically that came to light outside of the window that this list is being compiled on, although it is also fair to point out that Gordon has brought some of that negative energy to the Philadelphia 76ers so far this season too. Why then are we kicking off this list on such an uninspired note?

The truth is, there was nobody more deserving of being the Suns' 10th best player of 2024. If Oso Ighodaro had been given more time to impress, then he was in with a shout. Point guard Monte Morris has also fit in with this version of the roster better than Gordon did last season - but at 13.2 minutes per game and Tyus Jones doing so well - he didn't seem deserving either.

Then there are the likes of Keita Bates-Diop, Yuta Watanabe and Chimezie Metu. Three players the Suns had high hopes for, with none of them surviving in Phoenix beyond the trade deadline last season. Which means that no matter how you try and make a case for literally anybody else, Gordon is the most deserving player of this spot.

To give him some credit, he did do exactly what he was supposed to when he was signed by the franchise. He appeared in 68 games - starting 24 of them - and connected on 37.8 percent of his 3-point attempts, of which he took over five per game. With the Bradley Beal experiment off to a rough start, Gordon did pick up some of the slack on certain nights.

He stood in the corner to make enough of those shots from deep to keep defenders honest, while defensively his stout frame was used on all manner of opponents. It was just a case of Gordon being perhaps the right player, but at the wrong time. The Suns lacked fight and offensive unpredictability under then head coach Frank Vogel, and Gordon was one of the players who suffered.

Even more disappointing from the perspective of the Suns, Gordon was the fourth highest scorer the team had in their ugly playoff series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. His eight points trailing only Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Beal, although Grayson Allen missing two of those four contests with an ankle sprain didn't help (he managed 7.8 per game in his two appearances).

Gordon was also one of the few Suns who exited that sweep with their head held high too, as he managed to up his shooting percentage from deep - 41.2 percent, behind only Beal and Durant - while taking fewer shots than he had during the regular season (4.3 each game). He has not been missed this season - but don't kid yourself - Gordon's play had a place in Phoenix earlier this year.