PHOENIX SUNS
Last season: 23 – 59
This season: 33 – 49
Predicting a 10-game improvement for this team may be my dreaming-in-Technicolour moment, but I’ll stick with it. They boast an appealing mix of young guns (Devin Booker, T.J. Warren), established mid-career starters (Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe, P.J. Tucker) and useful veterans (Tyson Chandler, Leandro Barbosa).
Their rookies are intriguing. Both Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender could be special. Bender may be new to the NBA, but the 7-footer was a pro player last year. He has the potential to be what Andrea Bargnani could have been, if he’d had a heart transplant.
The Suns don’t have the stars or the depth to challenge for a playoff spot, but they are definitely headed in the right direction.
Next: Has next year's team finally arrived?