It’s yet again time for the flurry of preseason rankings and content as training camps near across the NBA, and with a talented roster such as the Phoenix Suns, there’s been plenty of reading material when it comes to their players.
Chris Paul, already establishing himself as one of the best point guards of his generation, is still in search of that coveted championship ring.
Devin Booker has grown into an All-NBA talent, as his ability to score on any given night has propelled the Suns to new heights.
Deandre Ayton, now freshly paid, looks to make good on the promise he showed as a No. 1 pick just a few years ago and solidified himself as one of the most dominant players at his position this season.
Mikal Bridges, a fan favorite here in the Valley, should again provide some of the best defense in the league. His personality, durability and ability to do dirty work has earned him respect across the league.
There’s no shortage of talent in Phoenix, but where do they rank across the league?
CBS Sports recently released their Top 100 player rankings for the upcoming season, and four Suns cracked the list:
No. 58: Deandre Ayton
“Now that his contract questions are in the past and he’s fresh off of inking a four-year, $133 million deal with the Suns, Deandre Ayton can fully focus on the basketball court where he’s central to Phoenix’s success on both ends. Defensively, he provides versatility and rim protection for the Suns, and on the other end, he serves as a solid screener and a great finisher around the rim. Last season, Ayton was the only player in the entire NBA to average over 17 points and 10 rebounds per game while simultaneously shooting over 63 percent from the field. Look for him to build off of those stats this season.” — Michael Kaskey-Blomain
No. 51: Mikal Bridges
“If the 26-year-old Bridges does not improve at all, he’ll remain one of the league’s best non-stars. This is a First Team All-Defense guy who stands 6-foot-6 with a 7-1 wingspan and has made 39.4 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s in the last two seasons. He has upside, though, because he has shown he can create off the bounce. Last season, Bridges scored 20 or more points 17 times, which matches the amount of times he’d done it in the three previous seasons combined. With his high release point, he looks a bit like Khris Middleton when he rises up for a midrange jumper. For all of the flashes he has shown, though, Bridges was assisted on 82 percent of his made field goals, which is about the same rate as Robert Covington and Daniel Theis, according to Cleaning The Glass. It’s time to give him more reps with the ball in his hands.” — James Herbert
No. 18: Chris Paul
For as much flak as Paul and the Suns got at the end of last season, that doesn’t take away from the fact that CP3 is still one of the top point guards in the league. He might be past his prime as the 37-year-old floor general is about to enter his 18th season, but he led the league in assists per game last year (10.8) for the fifth time in his career, and the first time since his run with the Clippers. The pressure will be on this season for Paul and the Suns to prove that they can bounce back from their second-round exit. But given that Paul has managed to maintain consistency at this stage in his career, my guess is that the loss to the Mavericks was just a bump in the road and not a sign of Father Time creeping in. — Jasmine Wimbish
No. 15: Devin Booker
“Phoenix’s playoff collapse to Dallas in the Western Conference semis hit folks hard in the Valley of the Sun, and Booker didn’t exactly cover himself in glory during the final two games of that series when he was a combined 0-8 from 3 and was a -60. But despite all that, Booker has staked a claim as the best shooting guard in the league. He finished eighth in the league in scoring last season with a career-high 26.8 points per game, made All-NBA First Team for the first time in his career and carried the Suns during the second half while Chris Paul was out hurt. When he ran pick-and-roll last season he generated 1.065 points per possession, which was the fifth-highest mark in the league among players with at least 500 possessions.” — Jack Maloney
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