Amigos' NBA Previews: Phoenix Suns

Recent Past Oh, Phoenix Suns. Remember? Remember how it used to be? You used to be so cool. What happened?

I'll tell you what happened. Shaq came, it didn't really work, D'Antoni left, that really didn't work...and now....this. Well. "We wore orange, they wore black; we'll always have the moral highground". Or something.

Offseason Shaq left, but they got capspace, and a renewed since of quickness. So it'll be an attempt at going back to the "good old days", presumably. We saw a hint of that at the end of last season, and we'll see if they can make it work to greater effect now. Oh, and they got Channing Frye.

Probable lineup Steve Nash, Jason Richardson, Grant Hill, Amare, and Channing Frye as the starting five. Dragic, Leandrinho, and Robin Lopez as key subs. Or something like that, anyway.

General overview It's hard not to dwell on what was with this group, but for now let's just look at what could/will be.

This is a team that fits the system. Nash, Richardson, and Amare, those are all guys that like to get up and down, and guys that fit the whole SSOL thing. Hill is, presumably, going to act as the stabilizing force that makes this at least sort of a more traditional team. It could well workout to some effect. After all, if you put the blinders on and just looked at this group, considering what they'll try to do...it's not bad. Now, is there much depth? No. Barbosa can come off the bench and (hopefully) contribute, as I think we're all sort of rooting for, but that's about it. But those six ought to be enough against a decent number of teams. Channing Frye's done well in the preseason, showing flashes of...the flashes he showed in the past. That ought to work out better than Shaq did for them, as weird as that is.

And if they can stay healthy? They probably ought to make the playoffs, all things considered. And that's a step back in the right direction. Now, practically speaking, does that really matter? No, as most of these guys won't be around too much longer. But, everything being everything, I think that'll be good enough for now.

If they were a hip hop act They came out with this quasi-new style, and it was a hit. It fucking worked. Now, was it the hottest thing out? No, there were others that ultimately bettered them, but for pure entertainment, an argument can be made that they were the most significant group out there.

And then? Then it all fell apart, and now they're just left sort of hoping to pick up the pieces.

(I'm pretty sure just about all of that works for both. I didn't want to end up equivocating JMJ's death and D'Antoni leaving, but....)

Guessing how they'll do They should eek out the eight spot, and be entertaining along the way. And there you go.