Finally some love from the media for the Phoenix Suns

Despite having two of the best players in the world in Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, the Phoenix Suns are somehow being overlooked this offseason. That is a position they are surely happy to be in, after the wild expectations that were placed on this franchise last season.

Any talk of winning a championship - despite amassing an impressive 49 wins - swiftly ended at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The hope for this season being that a more comfortable Bradley Beal and an actual point guard in Tyus Jones can take this roster to the next level.

Compliments have been hard to come by from the media, but the Suns have now finally been thrown a bone.

Thankfully for them - not only does Tim Legler know ball - he realizes how much good a gold medal run at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer will have done both Booker and Durant. Speaking on ESPN's "NBA Today" show, Legler pinpointed the Suns as the team he feels best about coming out of the Olympics and into the new NBA season.

"They had two guys (in Paris), Kevin Durant was sensational starting right off the bat when he came off the bench, makes his first six shots in the first half after being out for a while. But also Devin Booker, the way he is now viewed, you know Devin Booker has put up big numbers in Phoenix... Devin Booker plays a role on this team (Team USA) were he gets so much credit internally".

Legler is referencing Durant's explosive start to national play having missed the tune up games through injury, and by the end of the run in Paris he had cemented his position as the best male basketball player in his country's history. If he can continue that rich run of scoring form into the regular season, the Suns are going to be a problem.

For Booker the process might have been different in Paris - willingly giving up shots and glory in favor of a role to win a second gold medal - but that can also be of huge benefit to the Suns. He is the franchise cornerstone and everything runs through him in The Valley, but perhaps giving up some of that in order for Durant to shine even more could lead to bigger success.

Going in another direction, and perhaps Beal may find he gets more opportunities to showcase his own elite scoring abilities. Not only because the summer experience may have had a positive impact for Booker, but also as a result of having Jones and Monte Morris playing alongside him. Less time setting up his teammates means more chances for Beal to look to score himself.

More time for Beal to gel with his two star teammates was the second part of Legler's argument for the Suns as he proclaimed "Kevin Durant was great, they come in they're going to get more than 41 games together with Bradley Beal. I love some of the new pieces they've added, I think Phoenix has the most to grab from a team standpoint of those star players who played on the Olympic team".

Legler's optimism is certainly welcome in The Valley - but as we may see next summer - it could also be short lived. This group really only has this season and next to try and win a championship, and coming back strong after an Olympic year is as good as it may get for these Suns. After that, being stuck in the second apron may swallow their chances of winning it all whole.