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NBA: Way-too-early deep dive into the consensus top-5 championship favorites

By Ryan McCrary

DENVER, CO - MARCH 8: Nikola Jokic #15 and Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets slap hands after a second half score against the Chicago Bulls at Ball Arena on March 8, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 8: Nikola Jokic #15 and Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets slap hands after a second half score against the Chicago Bulls at Ball Arena on March 8, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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Phoenix Suns duo
Phoenix Suns duo (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

3. Phoenix Suns | +650

Wow! Vegas is really high on the Phoenix Suns, and there is a lot to like about this team. After losing to the Denver Nuggets in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, they made a huge trade during the offseason, sending Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and a load of first-round pick swaps, and second-round picks to the Washington Wizards for Bradley Beal, Jordan Goodwin, and Isaiah Todd.

They were also very active in free agency, signing Eric Gordon, Keita Bates-Diop, Yuta Watanabe, and Bol Bol to complete their roster after losing Cameron Payne, Torrey Craig, and Jock Landadle.

When you look at the Suns’ starting five, it’s easy to see why Vegas sees them as legitimate championship contenders. The amount of firepower they have on offense with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal is ridiculous, and they have some good supporting pieces in Deandre Ayton and Josh Okogie.

Their starting five is good enough to have one of the best offenses in the NBA, but they have some major issues. For starters, their defense might be pretty bad, and it could be bad enough to keep them from making it far in the playoffs. Their offense shouldn’t be much of an issue since they have three high-level creators, but there’s no chance they can slow down the best teams in the league in a playoff setting.

Their depth is also a major issue and puts them at a disadvantage when you compare their roster to the Nuggets and the Celtics. Their top three players are amazing, but it gets pretty bleak after that, even with all of the players they signed during free agency. They did a great job filling out their roster after the Bradley Beal trade, but their bench is still one of their biggest weaknesses.

To be clear, the Suns should and probably will be great next season, but it would be surprising if they won the title because their defense and their depth are not at the level we’ve seen from championship-winning teams in recent memory. The addition of Bradley Beal will make it harder for elite defenses to slow them down, but it’s hard to imagine them getting past the Nuggets without having an elite defense.

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