7. Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns did a magical job this offseason in continuing to surround Devin Booker and Kevin Durant with meaningful pieces that could end up taking them over the top in the Western Conference. Not only did the Suns add Bradley Beal but they also added Jusuf Nurkic as they solved their Deandre Ayton problem.
As stacked as the Suns are, we have still not seen a fully healthy version of them so far this season. Devin Booker has missed three games already this season and Beal has yet to make his regular-season debut with the team as he continues to battle a back injury. It’s still early on in the season, but this is not a good trend.
This was the concern for the Suns heading into the start of the season. On paper, the Suns are one of the most talented teams in the league. They should be sitting close to the top of the standings every week. That said, the team’s health continues to be a big question. And until that gets sorted out, it’s going to be difficult to consider the Suns a favorite to come out of the Western Conference.