What is Phoenix Suns All-Time Starting Five?

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns are officially set to embark on a pivotal 2024-25 season in the coming weeks, but there has been a lot of talk surrounding the franchise’s overall story recently.

The Suns are widely regarded as the greatest franchise in league history that doesn’t have a title – and that history extends to saluting some of the greatest players who ever lived.

The Suns’ official X account even went on a nostalgia hunt a few days ago – asking who should be among the best in franchise history in a traditional 5-man lineup.

Many fans and media outlets have attempted to construct the best possible lineup, but there are a handful of obstacles that make building an optimal five-man group difficult: the lack of lockdown defenders, overall size, and the lack of elite athletes on the back end.

Taking all of this into account, the top priority should be building a team that can run and shoot, that will fit seamlessly into the offensive side of the ball. A team that can match any potential opponent.

It’s a two-man race between Nash and Chris Paul for the PG spot.

While Paul led Phoenix to an elusive Finals appearance as a member of the franchise, Nash simply had more accolades, longevity and reached a higher peak while wearing the uniform.

Nash was a six-time All-Star, a five-time All-NBA selection, a two-time MVP and arguably has one of the top ten offensive scoring records of all time – which includes being the architect of the new era of offense with the historic 04-05 Suns.

He would be the ideal point guard for a team that would most likely emphasize speed and space. That’s not to say Paul wouldn’t either, but Nash ran a more revolutionary offense and was at his peak in Phoenix unlike Paul.

This is probably the easiest choice among all the others.

Walter Davis is a legend and deserves mention, but Booker is well on his way to being considered the greatest Sun of all time – if he is to have his career.

Booker has accomplished more than virtually anyone thought he would when he arrived in the NBA as a late lottery pick in 2015. He has two All-NBA finishes, four All-Star selections, a top-five MVP finish — and led the Suns to a franchise-record 64 wins in 2022.

Booker also moves up the franchise leaderboard in more categories than just scoring — though he’ll also be the franchise’s all-time leading scorer by the middle of this season.

With Booker also being one of the most up-and-coming players in the league’s current landscape, he fits perfectly into this lineup, as he can bend defenses to his will with his off-ball prowess and ability to create barrages of shots out of thin air.

Durant only played 83 games as a member of the Suns, but he’s already the “best” player to ever wear the franchise’s jersey – that’s pretty self-explanatory.

He also had one of his best defensive seasons as a pro in 2023-24, helping to fill some of the power void left by the backcourt positions.

Durant can also function similarly to Booker in this arrangement – plenty of off-ball action, plenty of three-point looks and the ability to back up the stats that named him one of the NBA’s top 5 transition players.

Marion is THE quintessential all-rounder in Suns history.

He was everything the Suns needed: He could defend 1-5 in many scenarios, he was a fearless slasher, an effective connector, he could even knock down three-point looks at a middling clip despite an unorthodox shot.

Marion would be the balance this high-octane offense needs, but he would also add another dimension with his game-changing athleticism.

Marion’s stats as a member of the Suns, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX.

Marion seems like a must-have because of what he can do in the context of any formation, especially this one.

This is certainly a bold choice, as this selection sacrifices size for dominance.

That’s not to say Amar’e Stoudemire wasn’t dominant during his time in Phoenix, but the 6-foot-4 Barkley was considered one of the top three players in the NBA at a time when Michael Jordan was rarely challenged — he also gave Jordan his biggest scare in the Finals.

Barkley was a phenomenal rebounder despite his small size for a forward. He used his brute strength, deceptively slippery first step and soft touch inside the arc to become one of the best scorers of his generation.

He was also quite good in off-the-ball defense and would be an absolutely dominant player in a two-man game with Nash – his underrated passing ability would also come in handy when surrounded by a number of other elite scorers.

Marion and Durant would also somewhat compensate for Barkley’s lack of size around the rim.

Under consideration: Jason Kidd, Kevin Johnson, Raja Bell, Grant Hill, Stoudemire, Walter Davis, Alvan Adams, Dan Majerle, Boris Diaw, Mikal Bridges, Paul, Dick Van Arsdale, Tom Chambers