The majority of the decade has not been great for the Phoenix Suns. They were, however, competitive in the early 2000s and made the Western Conference Finals in 2010. The most recent half of the 2010s has been marked by rebuilding, but a rebuild that has allowed the Suns to find franchise centerpieces in Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.
The Best of the 2010s for the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns All-Decade Team – Starting Five
Guard – Steve Nash
Steve Nash is arguably the greatest Sun of all time, marked by his two MVP seasons in the mid-2000s. Although in the twilight of his career in the 2010s, he was still a productive player for the Suns. As a matter of fact, Nash averaged 14 points and 11 assists in close to 200 games.
Phoenix witnessed more great play by Nash in their 2010 playoff run. He notched a 33 point and 10 assist game versus the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semi-finals, and a 17 point and 15 assist game versus the Los Angeles Lakers in the conference finals. Losing to Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and the eventual champions still capped off a great season.
Guard – Devin Booker
Nash’s partner in the backcourt was another easy pick. Booker has been growing as a legitimate star since the Suns drafted him, and made his first All-Star appearance this season.
Booker is one of the league’s best shooters and pure scorers. He’s not only that though, as he can distribute quite well and has played point guard for the team plenty of times. With the team’s recent struggles in mind, Booker has shown his loyalty and commitment to developing within the organization.
He’s a threat to score over 20 points on any given night. He can, of course, score so much more, as seen in his 70 point effort in 2017 versus the Boston Celtics. Booker is on pace to become one of the greatest players in franchise history.
Forward – T.J. Warren
The Suns have struggled at the small forward position for most of the decade. They seemed to have found the answer now, but that’s not T.J. Warren as he was traded to the Indiana Pacers in the offseason.
With this being said, Warren was a consistent starter in his 261 games with Phoenix. He averaged a respectable 14 points and four rebounds per game there. Towards the end of his Suns career, however, Warren was consistently scoring 20-plus points a night. In addition, he had grown his game to have a fearsome three-point shot. The biggest knock on his game has been his defense, but Warren nonetheless was a solid player.
Forward – Amar’e Stoudemire
Yes, Amar’e Stoudemire played half a season and the playoffs for the Suns in the 2010s. He was a legitimate superstar during that time though, and the Suns have not come anywhere near replacing him at the position since.
In those 49 regular-season games, Stoudemire averaged 25 points and nine rebounds per game. He was a dream pairing for Nash, and their pick-and-roll play was lethal.
He left after the 2010 playoffs to New York, but he was far better than any other power forward in Phoenix this decade.
Center – Deandre Ayton
The Suns selected Deandre Ayton with the number one overall pick in the 2018 draft. So far, he has been close to what they expected. Ayton is a tough offensive player and a double-double machine. The statistics say it all – this season Ayton is averaging 19 points and 12 rebounds per game. In terms of talent, he’s already one of the greatest centers in Suns history.
There are still plenty facets of Ayton’s game that need improvement. This isn’t an issue just yet, as he is still only 21. He should reach All-Star level in the future, and the Suns are in a good spot with him and Booker for the future.
Phoenix Suns All-Decade Team Bench
Guard – Eric Bledsoe
Eric Bledsoe produced near All-Star numbers with the Suns for a few seasons in the mid-2010s. He was also part of the 48-34 2013-14 team that missed the playoffs by a single game due to a stacked Western Conference. His best season in Phoenix saw him average 21 points, six assists, and five rebounds per game. His “worst” season, saw him average four fewer points but almost the same assists and rebounds total. He might have left on sour terms, but he was one of the better Suns this past decade.
Guard – Goran Dragic
Goran Dragic played alongside Bledsoe during his second stint with the Suns. He failed to really break out with the Houston Rockets after they signed him based off his flashes of potential in the late 2000s but became a good starter when he returned to Phoenix. In the aforementioned 2013-14 season, Dragic averaged 20 points and six assists per game. He was clearly a natural-born competitor and winner.
Forward – Kelly Oubre
Kelly Oubre is the latest answer for the Suns at small forward and has proven himself enough to be permanent. Although he is technically the current “third option,” Oubre can be a scoring machine and be relied upon to carry the team at times. This season he is averaging 19 points and six rebounds per game. At only 24, Oubre can form a fearsome future trio with Booker and Ayton.
Forward – Markieff Morris
As previously mentioned, the Suns have struggled to identify talent at the power forward position. They tried addressing it in drafts prior, but have a record of failure. Markieff Morris was never great per se, but was solid and played more than 300 games for the Suns this decade. During that time, he averaged roughly over 11 points and five rebounds per game.
Center – Tyson Chandler
Tyson Chandler arrived in Phoenix after his stellar seasons with the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks. It was clear he was aging and declining, but he played well and served as a mentor and leader for a young and rebuilding team. He actually averaged seven points and over nine rebounds per game in over 150 games.
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