Hard as it might be to believe, the Phoenix Suns might somehow be flying under the radar ahead of the 2024-25 season. This despite having a pair of superstars in Devin Booker and Kevin Durant who had themselves a memorable summer in Paris at the Olympic Games.
They also managed to win 49 games despite having an incosistent season - including a pair of seven game win streaks - and with third star Bradley Beal limited to just 53 regular season games. Improving on that isn't a given, but adding a new head coach in Mike Budenholzer - plus Tyus Jones, Monte Morris and Mason Plumee to the rotation - has this group in a better spot than they left off.
That's not enough for former Los Angeles Laker great Robert Horry to think this coming season is going to be any different in The Valley.
"Big Shot Bob" won a ridiculous seven championships during this time in the league, so he knows a thing or two about what it takes to get over the line. Although never a star himself, he has a case at being perhaps the greatest role player of all time. The... GROAT? Sorry. Anyway, he thinks the Suns aren't going to sniff 50 games.
"They (Suns) bench is whack... I'm not Phoenix is a scrub, I'm just saying everybody else is good... everybody except for the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz and (L.A.) Clippers are going to be better, so it's going to be hard for the Suns to get 50 wins."
One issue with what Horry had to say here was the fact that he was told by his co-host prior to stating the Suns wouldn't win 50 games that they had managed 47 last year. Only we know that's not the case, all they have to do is literally win one more game than a season where they were all over the place and never got a great run of games from their three best players.
Horry would also go on to claim that only three teams (Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder) would break 50 wins next season. Last time out five managed that feat - the trio he mentioned plus the Clippers and Dallas Mavericks), with the Suns a single game back which left them with the sixth seed.
Horry may not be the biggest fan of Phoenix given he played for two rivals in the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs en route to championships, but come on now. No doubt 50 wins is not a given, but the argument against why it can't be done is weak sauce. The Suns are going to improve in three key areas under coach Budenholzer too. They'll eat their words on this one.