Suns Poll: Which season is the most highly anticipated season in the history of the franchise? Part 1

The 2023-24 season begins in three months. Three months, I say! That is a quarter-of-a-year! A Phoenix summer away. Sad. Face. Emoji.

Until then, we have to wait and wonder, predict and ponder. The season that lies before the Phoenix Suns is highly anticipated, and perhaps the most anticipated season in the history of the franchise. Which got my wheels a-turnin’.

What is the most highly anticipated season in the history of the franchise?

It’s a subjective question, sure, but it’s the offseason and comparing, contrasting, analyzing, and debating is what fills the days. I want to get to the bottom of this question, and so I thought we’d play a fun ‘lil game.

What we are going to do is break the 55 seasons of Suns’ basketball into four different eras. Each era will have multiple seasons listed, and I ask that you select the season in which you were most enthusiastic for the following season. Following the completion of this polling period, which we’ll have up for a week, we’ll revisit the four most anticipated seasons based on the era in which they are designated, and pit them together in one final poll.

Now, I know not everyone was around for every era. Perhaps you are new to the fanbase. Maybe you just successfully parallel parked and was handed your first driver’s license. Others of you might be Dave King. We all have differing levels of experience with the Suns and stories on how and why we arrived in this basketball space.

Not everyone has experience all Suns basketball. But that doesn’t mean I will negate you from our experiment here! I have put together a short synopsis of each summer leading into a season and why the Phoenix fanbase was excited about the following year of Suns’ basketball. If you didn’t experience that era, no worries! Vote based on your understanding of what the Phoenix faithful would be excited for in that time.

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The ‘Dave King Was Around’ Era

1968-69

The inaugural season for the Phoenix Suns brought the first professional franchise to the Valley, which at the time had a population just shy of 582,000 and was the 20th largest in the United States. A tad different from today, yes. Gas was $0.34 a gallon.

On January 22, 1968, the NBA Board of Governors awarded franchises to Milwaukee and Phoenix, and in a ‘Name the Team’ contest held by The Arizona Republic, “Suns” was chosen. The first logo was created by Stan Fabe, a Tucson commercial printer, and he was paid $200 for the original design.

The team moved into the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, a building that had originally opened in 1965, and so began basketball in Phoenix. And with it the excitement of being more than a wide spot in the road on the way to Los Angeles.

1976-77

1976 was a magical season that brought fervor to the Valley unlike any other in the franchise’s history. After finishing the season with a mundane 42-40 record, they surprised the #2 seeded Seattle SuperSonics by winning in six games. They followed it up by downing the favorited #1 seeded Golden State Warriors in a hard-fought seven game Western Conference Finals.

In their eighth season in the league, Phoenix made their first NBA Finals, and while they lost to the Boston Celtics in six, the run to the Finals invigorated and energized the fan base.

Expectations were high entering the 1976-77 season as the team had gained national notoriety for their efforts the previous season. “These are the Suns, the stuff of which Hans Christian Andersen and Hollywood scripts are made,” Barry McDermott wrote in Sport Illustrated about the team.

Entering 1976-77, Suns’ guard Pat Riley had left in free agency, the team had acquired Dick Van Arsdale’s twin brother Tom via trade with the Boston Braves, and drafted point guard Ron Lee out of the University of Oregon with their 10th pick in the NBA Draft.

Could they make a run back to the NBA Finals? Phoenix anxiously sweated away in the summer of ‘76 wondering the answer to this question.

1979-80

Phoenix was so close to returning to the NBA Finals in 1979, losing Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals to the Sonics by four points, 114-110. The team was led in scoring by the dynamic duo of 28-year old Paul Westphal (24 points) and second-year guard Walter Davis (23.6 points). Add Alvan Adams’ 16 points and 8.7 rebounds, and the Suns had an exciting core and scored the 2nd most points-per-game in 1978-79.

There wasn’t much offseason movement for Phoenix in preparation for the 1979-80 season. General manager Jerry Colangelo appreciated what he had put together and believed that their success could be repeated the next year. They possessed firepower and skill, shooting and depth.

1979-80 was when the three-point line was introduced in the NBA, of which Suns’ head coach John MacLeod stated, “It may change our game at the end of the quarters, but I’m not going to set up plays for guys to bomb from 23 feet. I think that’s very boring basketball.” Oh, if you only knew, John.

1984-85

The 1983-84 was a surprising team indeed. Out of nowhere, after finishing with a 41-41 record, the team made a trip to the Western Conference Finals. Yes, they lost to Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the Los Angeles Lakers, but their run once again reminded the fan base that the team was potent.

Much akin to the 1979 offseason, not many changes were made to the roster. They drafted Jay Humphries in the first round out of Colorado, but kept the core of Larry Nance, Walter Davis, and Alvan Adams intact.

The Barkley Era

1990-91

This season didn’t include Charles Barkley, but it’s in the same vicinity, so I’ll allow it.

The 1989-90 Suns were electric. They won 50+ games for the second consecutive year, led by a franchise-best 27.2 points from Tom Chambers and Kevin Johnson’s 22.5 points and 11.4 assists. They scored the second-most points and had the third best offensive rating. Unfortunately, they lost to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1990 Western Conference Finals in six games. Damn you, Clyde.

They hadn't broke the barrier into the NBA Finals, but something special was brewing in Phoenix. The upcoming season was to open overseas in Japan as they would face the Utah Jazz in the first NBA game outside of North America. With Cotton Fitzsimmons at the helm, and the Showtime Lakers beginning to lose their steam, the turn of the decade was an thrilling time for the franchise.

1992-93

After four seasons winning over 50+ games, the Suns were in a predicament. They simply could not get over the hump and into the NBA Finals. The 1991-92 season, in which Phoenix entered the playoffs as the #4 seed after posting a 53-29 record, ended in disappointment. Once again, they fell short of their goal, this time doing so in the Second Round at the hands of the Blazers.

Disappointment was becoming a theme of the early-90’s Suns and could've been the title of their rap album, if they opted to put one out. That’s what teams were doing back then.

In response, the Suns flipped the franchise on its head. They moved into a new arena, changed their uniform sets, and traded for a six time All-Star in his prime, Sir Charles Barkley. Paul Westphal was in as the new head coach, they signed free agent Danny Ainge, and drafted Oliver Miller and Richard Dumas.

The setting was set for a historic season, and the anticipation began.

1993-94

After losing to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1993 NBA Finals, changes were once again on the horizon for Phoenix.

Tom Chambers’ role had diminished greatly upon Barkley’s arrival, and having the 34-year old on the roster was duplicitous. He left for the Jazz in free agency and the Suns were left trying to fortify the Kevin Johnson/Charles Barkley core.

In his final season as sole general manager, Jerry Colangelo signed iron man A.C. Green, big man Joe Kline, and Joe Courtney. He re-signed Cedric Ceballos and Frank Johnson to the team as well.

Hoping to build on the previous season’s success, and knowing that Michael Jordan had entered retirement, provided a unique type of hope for the reigning Western Conference Champions.

1994-95

Heartbreak ended the 1993-94 season for Phoenix, as the #3 seeded Suns lost to the #2 seeded Houston Rockets in Game 7 of the Second Round, 104-94. The loss was devastating as Phoenix was primed for a repeat appearance in the NBA Finals, but a poor shooting performance on the road – they shot 39.8% from the field and 29.6% from three – led to an early exit.

The loss led to a plethora of changes, and many of them appeared to fortify the roster and make Phoenix a powerhouse team. Oliver Miller left in free agency and Phoenix traded the oft-injured Cedric Ceballos to the Lakers for a first round pick and Oliver Miller to the Detroit Pistons for a couple of picks.

It was the work of Jerry and Bryan Colangelo, who joined his father as the general manager for the team as Jerry was in the process of handing the position off, that generated a buzz. Phoenix signed a productive scorer in Wayman Tisdale and a four time All-Star in Danny Manning. The Suns were once again locked and loaded to make an exciting run.

The 7SOL Era

2005-06

When Steve Nash returned to the Suns for the 2004-05 season, we didn’t know what to expect. He had success with Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks, but those teams were stunted and saw little postseason success. The result? A 62-20 record that tied the franchise mark set by the 1992-93 Suns.

Expectations for the Suns were soaring as the way they played offense the previous season was revolutionary. They sprinted up and down the court, constantly putting pressure on the opposition as they were the top scoring offense in the league. The team made it to the Western Conference Finals, where the physical San Antonio Spurs put an end to a magical season in just five games.

Some interesting moves occurred in the offseason prior to the 2005-06 season. A sign-and-trade sent the third-highest scorer on the team, Joe Johnson, to the Atlanta Hawks. Phoenix received Boris Diaw and two picks. Quentin Richardson, who led the league in three-point field goals and was fifth on the team in scoring, was traded to the New York Knicks for big man (and potential Tim Duncan stopper) Kurt Thomas.

The team added free agents Raja Bell, Pat Burke, Brian Grant, Eddie House, and James Jones. There were plenty of questions as to how this new bunch would mesh and if their success a year prior was replicable.

2006-07

54 wins in the regular the previous season showed that head coach Mike D’Antoni’s system was a place for players to thrive in. Amare Stoudemire only played 3 games as his injured knee prevented the All-Star from playing, but behind an MVP season from Steve Nash, the team ended with the #2 seed in the West. But the team lost in the Western Conference Finals for the second consecutive season.

The team made some transactions that didn’t affect the starting five, bringing in players like Jalen Rose, Marcus Banks, Jumaine Jones, Sean Marks, and Eric Piatowski. Brian Grant, Eddie House, and mid-season acquisition Tim Thomas were out.

The core remained the same, however, and the chemistry that they displayed the previous year, one that saw them once again lead the league in points and offensive rating, had the organization and fan base ready for a deep run in the postseason. And perhaps bring Larry to Phoenix.

2007-08

Following another year that ended in disappointment – the Suns lost in six to the Spurs in the Second Round – it felt as if the team would never get over the hump. The previous year saw Phoenix win 61 games, but leaving without a Finals appearance, let alone a ring, deflated the fanbase. How could they get better?

Phoenix would sign a 35-year old Grant Hill, bid adieu to James Jones, Jumaine Jones, Pat Burke, Jalen Rose, and Kurt Thomas, and drafted D.J. Strawberry and Alando Tucker. The core was still intact, and they were preparing to make another run, so confidence was still strong.

The Booker Era

2021-22

The hype after the 2021 NBA Finals run was real. A team that had been dormant for a decade, not making an appearance in the postseason since the 7SOL Era, catapulted themselves into the national conversation after an impressive run that, like Finals’ run before them, left the franchise two games shy of the ultimate goal.

Moves were made in the offseason in an effort to solidify the roster, especially in the front court, which was a glaring weakness against the Milwaukee Bucks. Gone was Jevon Carter, Langston Galloway, E’Twaun Moore, and Torrey Craig. JaVale McGee, Elfrid Payton, and Landry Shamet joined the team.

Phoenix was ready for a repeat run, projected to make a deep run into the postseason once again. They re-signed Chris Paul, extended Mikal Bridges, and Cameron Payne. The organic chemistry that allowed the team to be successful was in place, and with it was the expectation that this team would be a force in the Western Conference.

2022-23

The 2021-22 season ended in heartbreak. After winning a franchise-best 64 games, the Suns were ousted in the Second Round at the hands of a giggling Luka Doncic. The fan base as a whole took their time in the offseason to mentally and emotionally recover from the traumatic postseason exit.

Kevin Durant rumors began, and with it our collective engagement and excitement for the next season of Suns’ basketball grew. Phoenix made minor moves around the fringes of the roster as they wanted to put themselves in a position to pounce if and when KD would become available. JaVale McGee, Aaron Holiday, and Elfrid Payton did not return to the team, as GM James Jones opted for Jock Landale, Damion Lee, Josh Okogie, and Duane Washington, Jr..

No major moves were made, and the Durant rumors faded like a California summer sunset over the horizon. The Finals’ core was still present, minus Jae Crowder, who was in the process of holding out and demanding a trade from the team. Organic chemistry would once again be the team’s foundation, and the team opened with the sixth best odds to win the 2023 title.

2023-24

A new owner. A new mindset. A new roster.

The previous season was one of change. The core of the 2021 NBA Finals team was shredded like a julienne salad, as Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and Jae Crowder were sent to the Brooklyn Nets for the one and only Kevin Durant. While the move brought one the greatest talents in the history of the NBA to Phoenix, it did not allow the team enough time to truly gel. They lost once again in the Second Round, this time to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets.

The changes came fast and furious. Head coach Monty Williams was out. Chris Paul joined a long list of players who would not return. Torrey Craig, Jock Landale, Cameron Payne, Bismack Biyombo, Terrence Ross, T.J. Warren, Landry Shamet, and Darius Bazley were all out. Bradley Beal, Eric Gordon, Drew Eubanks, Yuta Watanabe, Keita Bates-Diop, Jordan Goodwin, Chimezie Metu, Bol Bol, and draft pick Toumani Camara were all added.

It’s been one the biggest roster shake ups in Suns’ history, and with the addition of Bradley Beal, has created one of the most offensively potent lineups in the Valley. At least, on paper.

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There’s the list.

I’m sure I left some offseason’s on the fringe. I know that we were excited following the 2013-14 season as it appeared that a corner had been turned. 1999-2000 was the season of Backcourt2K. But these are the ones I selected. I’m looking forward to see the results and pitting them against each other to find the subjective answer to the question posed above:

What is the most highly anticipated season in the history of the franchise?