PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns turned a lot of heads with their surprising 2025-26 season, exceeding all expectations to make the playoffs as the No. 8 seed with a 45-37 record.
After trading away Kevin Durant, waiving and stretching Bradley Beal and extending Devin Booker to one of the largest contracts in NBA history last offseason, a lot of people did not feel Phoenix was set up for success for the future.
However, coach Jordan Ott and the players the Suns brought in quickly reversed this narrative, although ESPN still has concerns about the near future in the Valley.
Suns Ranked Among Bottom in NBA in Future Power Rankings
ESPN moved the Suns up from dead last in the NBA a year ago to No. 25 in their latest three-year future power rankings.
According to the specific rankings used to put this list together, Phoenix placed 21st in the league in its current roster and future potential (60% of rankings), 21st in management (11.67%), 25th in future draft assets (11.67%), 24th in spending habits and cap situation (11.67%) and 11th in market (5%).
The Suns were tied with the Brooklyn Nets in the rankings, while the New Orleans Pelicans (26), Chicago Bulls (27), Milwaukee Bucks (28), LA Clippers (29) and Sacramento Kings (30) were the five teams behind them.
ESPN’s Zach Kram wrote on Phoenix’s three-year outlook:
“Phoenix is out of the Future Power Rankings basement after a surprising playoff berth. But the Suns’ broader future doesn’t look all that different now, featuring financial issues — especially if they extend Miles Bridges — and a barren draft cupboard, after they traded yet another unprotected first-rounder for Bridges this summer.”
A big reason for the Suns’ future struggles is the draft situation they have been faced with, acccording to ESPN’s Dean Oliver.
“The Suns have ranked in the bottom six in the draft category for four straight years,” Oliver wrote. “That coincides quite well with their acquisitions of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal for a collection of draft picks and swaps. Those deals compromised these assets across the next three years. “
ESPN’s Ben Golliver made a bold prediction for the next three years for the Suns:
“Khaman Maluach is Phoenix’s best hope of escaping the treadmill of mediocrity. After giving up on the Devin Booker and Durant pairing, the Suns have constructed a low-ceiling roster with veterans such as Dillon Brooks and Bridges. How does Booker, who turns 30 in October, ever get back to making noise in the playoffs?
“Phoenix doesn’t have much in the way of young talent besides the 19-year-old Maluach, a 2025 lottery pick who played sparingly as a rookie. Still, the South Sudanese center has a massive 7-foot-1 frame and flashed 3-point range at the Las Vegas Summer League. Phoenix really needs Maluach to hit or it risks squandering the rest of Booker’s prime.”
Our Take on These Rankings
A lot of people overlook just how well the Suns have drafted recently given their future draft assets, and although Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koa Peat have yet to truly prove themselves, they all have major potential they can show as soon as this season and set the Suns up for success for years to come.
This article also fails to mention the culture Phoenix quickly established under Ott and the team’s ability to keep the players long term who helped shape this identity that led to the success of last season.
The Suns have enough to be at least a play-in team in each of the next three years and also have trade chips if things don’t go the way they planned with the team-friendly deals they got several players on this offseason.
The trade for Bridges and his looming extension remain a head scratcher, but the Suns seem to have a vision for what he can be and how he can improve their ceiling, even if it limits the money they have over the next few years.
Phoenix looked to be handcuffed by the $19.4 million per year it owes Beal until the 2029-30 season, but the Suns do have a future now with the players they have after an impressive offseason, even if these rankings don’t show it.
