This Suns team would definitely be top 3 in scoring. Tom Chambers and Paul Westphal off the bench is crazy. Kevin Johnson was Magic Johnson 2.0 before he got injured, and he's the third-string PG. This team is scoring a ton of points. They won't stop too many people on defense, but they'll double down on offense.
The highest scoring team will probably be the warriors. Warrior era Wilt was run and fun. The highest scoring team in the pre three point era. The Nuggets are the highest scoring so far with Thompson and English. Joker with outlet passes and trailing for open 3s.
The moment RU-vid showed me your comment I was thinking exactly about that: who the f*&k is gonna be at the 5? 🤔 And I also completely forgot about Shaq 😂
The Suns have, surprisingly and Consistently, had some of the most exciting and electrifying players in league history. Kidd, Nash, CP3, Starbury, Booker, KD, Barkley, Prime McDyess, Amare, Shawn Marion, Grant Hill, Penny and Shaq, Majerle and Kevin Johnson. Even at their low points, they've almost always been exciting.
Huge fan of this series. This team seems like it will be a offensive beast, Barkley and Nash fast break with the shooters this team has it will be awesome
Paul Westphal was a heck of a player. I've been a huge Celtics fan since around 1970 or so, and I remember watching live when Paul almost beat Boston in that classic triple-overtime playoff game in '76. He made some incredible plays in the latter stages of that game. Of course, he also started his career with the Celtics. Connie Hawkins should be better known than he is today, but his career was negatively affected by bogus off-the-court charges. I'm really glad you included him on the second team. Walter Davis was one of the better scorers of the '80s and had a great career with the Suns. Unfortunately, he had a drug problem, but I wish you could have found room for him among the top 13. And finally, Dick Van Arsdale (a fellow Hoosier) also was a really good player for the Suns over a long period of time. I can understand not including him in the top 13, but I do want younger fans to realize he's worth honoring.
Awesome video, Jonny! The starting 5 has a great combo of inside and outside shooting and would be so tough to stop. Hopefully, Barkley won't take too many 3s though lol. I remember learning he took many 3s even though he was not a great 3 point shooter. The bench brings some solid defenders w/Marion and Kidd. The Suns are so deep at the 1 too (Kidd, KJ, and Nash are all superb). Kidd, Westphal, Shaq, Chambers, and Marion would, like the starting 5, have a decently balanced offense. It was great learning more about Hawkins also. :) I heard of him, but haven't learned much. Great point about weakness in the paint. I can see that, esp on the defensive end. But, yes, I concur that they would be great at offense and are one of the best at it in this series. Have a great Tuesday 😊
Man! As a lifelong Suns fan, I have to say this is perfect. You nailed it! I think the only thing I may have changed was Mikal Bridges and maybe Walter Davis in place of Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle, but KJ and Majerle were two of my all time favorites, so that would be tough to do.
KJ, Hawkins, Majerle being picked last and Walter Davis not making the cut shows pretty strong depth throughout. The only problem is a handful pre prime and post prime players sprinkled throughout and as mentioned the lack of prime true center depth.
I would like to see an addendum to these videos that include which head coach you would want leading each of these teams. This team feels like it was built for D'Antoni specifically.
"The Matrix" has to be one of the best nicknames of all time. Also, isn't CP3 not being in the lineup quite crazy while KD is in it after not even two seasons in Phoenix?
It's mainly due to the fact that the Suns had a lot of great PG and not a lot of great SF. Today's KD is still better than the best years of Shawn Marrion or Connie Hawkins (or any other Sns SF).
Amare defended the lane like a guy who started the game with five fouls. His offense was fantastic, developing his shot as he got older, but how many shooters you gonna need? Maybe put in Mark West for zero offense but great defense and blocking out. Also there should be a spot for Sweet D, purest hooper to ever put on a Suns jersey.
KJ being a rotation player. Let that sink in... I would switch Kidd and Nash, but that is my subjective feeling which I cant support by objective facts. I am glad that both Thunder Dan and Tom Chambers goty selected. I especially liked to watch Dan Marjerle playing.
Imo Kevin Johnson should be the backup over Kidd. He put in way more time with the team, he earned that spot. And Shaq has no business being on this squad. Even if he is Shaq, find a guy that put in more than 1 decent season for the team.
That's not how this series works. It's just the best team able to be constructed from the people who have played there. It doesn't have anything to do with greatness or team history
I agree with having KJ as the sixth man, but not with cutting Shaq from the team. Based on past videos in the series, I think the main selection metrics are 1) best season(s) while on the team, 2) team legacy, and 3) "gelling well" with other team prospects.
@@nikolamanojlovicciI’ve seen every video in the series. And Shaq still does not belong on this team. He had 1 above average season on the Suns. If his name was Jimmy Hamilton he wouldn’t be on the roster. And if you wanna talk “fit” Shaq never made sense in the Suns when he actually played there, and this teams offense will be similar to that.
8:20 I think elite is a little bold to call Shaq in that 09 season in Phoenix. His last year of being a good player yes. Maybe elite compared to centers not named Dwight Howard because this was when the center position was dying, but we know compared to the rest of the league in general, he was far from elite at that point. That said though, I can't really think of any other centers in Suns history that should take his spot on here.
Video idea: can you do a top 10 or 5 best retirement classes if they were actually teams? Like 2016 retirement class would have Kg, Kobe and tim duncan and the 2019 class would have dirk, dwade and tony parker 🤑
I've been waiting on this one because the Suns had so many great point guards with Nash, KJ, Kidd, CP3, etc. Same with power forward with either Barkley or Amare but you played small ball and chose both.
The Suns have an incredible legacy of floor generals! In 1997, Nash, Kidd, and KJ were ACTUALLY on the same team together. Including Chris Paul, Phoenix has 4 of the top 15 point guards of all time. KJ is super under appreciated and would probably start for many other franchises' ultimate teams.
Oh man, no Hornacek is tough, especially with a run and gun offense and all the open looks he would get. But I dunno who to kick off. I love these! Excited to see the Portland team (though I have a feeling we’ll completely agree with one another).
I think you assembled a pretty good team. With today's rules & scoring at a premium, I see no reason they can't make it to the 2nd round of the playoffs.
If there's even an argument for any of the honorable mentions, I'd probably say Jeff Hornacek but I think you got the right roster here. Chris Paul would be worthy of a spot if Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, and Kevin Johnson didn't spend more seasons in Phoenix than he did. Even though Chris Paul made the All-NBA Second Team and Devin Booker didn't make an All-NBA Team the year they went to the Finals, I always thought Booker was the best player on that team and it really showed in the playoffs.
This is at least a play in tournament team and maybe a playoff team. With Durant and Booker doing most of the scoring in the starting lineup, Barkley can focus on rebounding and Nash can focus on ball handling and playmaking. If you need more backcourt defense then Kidd can come in for Nash. (I'd have had Paul over KJ at the end of the bench.) Chambers and Westy provide excellent firepower in the 2nd unit and so does Hawkins at the end of the bench. If you need a 3 and D guy then Majerle can provide that and Majerle was actually really underrated at attacking the basket offensively. Stoudemire and O'neal splitting minutes will keep both of them fresh. This is mostly an offensive team but if you want more defense on the floor, sub in Kidd and Majerle for Nash and Booker. They'll mostly try to score you though. In 7 seconds or less. As for the west as a whole: Lakers are still the 1 seed. Rockets go ahead of Spurs mostly because of Hakeem. Still waiting on the Warriors team to see if they go above the Rockets, below the Spurs, or between the 2. The Suns, Kings, Thunder, and Mavericks should finish 5-8 and compete to go straight into the main draw and avoid the play in tournament. The Jazz, Nuggets, Pelicans, Blazers, Clippers, and Timberwolves would compete for those final 2 play in spots. (Timberwolves are a little better than a few years because of ANT.) I'd guess the Nuggets and Jazz. The Grizzlies will be cellar dwellers. FWIW, this series seems to have skipped the Blazers as only the Bulls and Bucks are listed in the Bs.
Connie Hawkins was a legend NY streetball and highly anticipated player. In college his teammates got caught for point shaving. Hawkins wasn't involved but he got banned from the nba. After being out of basketball a few years the aba gave him a chance won MVP. Then he won a law suit against the nba allowing him to play but he was past his prime. Still put up great number.
@@benjaminguzmanuribe7680 no problem. Its good for people to know his story as it shows even if you do nothing wrong you can still be treated as if your guilty regardless of how talented you maybe.
I would pick Jason Kidd over Steve Nash every day of the week and twice on sundays. Having Booker, Durant and Barkley next to him there would be more than enough spacing for Kidd. Kidd is so much better defensively than Nash...
Great video as usual. Just a small question here, considering that Kevin Johnson spent his entire career and peak with the Suns and actually acheived lots of postseason success during his time there, isn't he probably a more impactful player to the Suns when compared to a rather young Jason Kidd? (I just feel like he deserves the 2nd team PG more)
Sure, but I'm not really ranking it on who "deserves" it the most. KD wouldn't be a starter if it had to do with simply how much they've accomplished in Phoenix. Basically I'm looking at talent, fit, and how they compliment one another. As good as KJ is, Kidd was a better passer, and I think thats HUGE when you've got superstar teammates who need to be fed the ball. Plus Kidd's defensive impact is nice too.
I mean, I do it all the time, you just might not be noticing. Dan Majerle is a perfect example. He’s a team first guy, who’s a 3 and D specialist and will fit well with this roster. Chris Paul was still on the table, and he’s certainly the more talented player, but this team already has 3 amazing point guards, each with their own egos… bringing a 4th PG into the mix, regardless of his talent, didn’t make sense to me
100% Larry Nance Sr. over Tom Chambers. Chambers was a good scorer but you have plenty of that on this team. Larry Nance Senior was every bit, if not more so winning the Dunk Contest over Dr. J, athletic as Chambers, able to run the court, and significantly better on defense than Chambers, something that appears to be lacking on this team. Power Forwards that can block over 2 shots/game are a rarity, especially in the 80s, so Nance would do much more than Chambers.
I have Kidd over Nash, especially with good shooters for him to pass to. I feel fairly confident trading those 1.7 PPG for 1.2 SPG, 3.3 RPG and overall very high level defense, on equivalent or better passing.
you are not trading just 1.7 PPG.. you are trading more than 10 ppg...because what matters is possessions and NASH makes a lot more assists and a lot more points if you count PPG as possessions...REBOUNDS??? LOL they are PG
@@onlyfacts3178 I wish I was young, but I just value defense a lot, probably too much. Then again, what analyses I have seen of NBA teams have shown the 60s Celtics to be the largest defensive outlier ever, and they won 11 rings in 13 years. My thought is that offense is over-valued and defense is where it's actually at - and Kidd has the defense locked down.
@@c99kfm defence is overrated...no way you pick P.Berverly over someone who is great on offence. AND KIDD was a liabilty on offence..he was left alone in the 3 point line because he couldnt shoot.
Soooo true! The current front office and coach seem allergic to point guards. The other night we're up 30 on the Spurs and Isaiah Thomas gets no burn?!? Try the guy out!
All Time Phoenix Suns Starting 5⬇️ 1.PG: Charlie Scott 2.SG: Devin Booker 3.PF: Kevin Durant 4.PF: Tom Chambers 5.C: Amar'e Stoudemire Bench⬇️ PG: Gail Goodrich SG: Paul Westphal SF: Connie Hawkins PF: Charles Barkley PF: Larry Nance Reserves⬇️ PG: Kevin Johnson SG: Dick Van Arsdale SF: Walter Davis PF: Shawn Marion C: Alvan Adams Honorable mentions⬇️ PG: Stephon Marbury SG: Jeff Hornacek SG: Dennis Johnson PG: Steve Nash PF: Truck Robinson C: Shaquille O'Neal PF: Paul Silas SF: Dan Majerle PG: Jason Kidd PF: Maurice Lucas PG: Chris Paul
All time Suns team: PG - Steve Nash SG - Devin Booker SF - Dan Marjele PF - Amare Stoudamire C - Charles Barkley Bench: Paul Wesphal Kevin Johnson Jason Kidd Larry Nance Alvan Adams Shawn Marion Tom Chambers
Tom chambers being on here pleased me greatly. Loved that guy. Walter Davis didn’t make it, but I can understand why. He was a BUCKET. The cocaine thing didn’t help. And the Suns are loaded with guards.
First Team: PG: Nash SG: Booker SF: Durant PF: Barkley C: Amare Second Team: PG: Kevin Johnson SG: Paul Westphal SF: Shawn Marion PF: Tom Chambers C: Channing Frye
@JimBrave-ri1oc Good points here and perhaps I'm being nostalgic on Durant's previous performances on other teams. I agree that the Suns are bad in the regular season but in the playoffs, they'll step up the gas.
Mid and late career transplants mess up the feel of this team. Obviously KD and Sir Charles are first team, but of course I dont think of them as Suns. It's a better team with them starting... but it would be a PHOENIX SUNS team with Matrix and Nance starting.
Phoenix Suns no turnovers with Steve Nash, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Kevin Johnson, Thunder Dan glad he made it. Suns run and gun offense of Sir Charles, Connie, Paul W, Kevin Durant, Amar'e, and a point guard. Going to have slow it down for an older Shaq. Playoff team going to be tough getting offensive rebounds on Sir Charles, and Shaq.
@@JimBrave-ri1oc you're right but it's not about putting the top players or best players on the roster and the guy who created the video mentions this in every video that he does like this. He says he's not going to put just the best players on the roster but instead put the players that would fit best and be compatible and I just figured Joe Johnson would be a nice pick to fill in one of the final spots like 12 or 13 because he played with Nash and Marion and it would be good team chemistry. And you mentioned there's only a 12 man roster which there is but this guy is giving out 13 spots and Joe Johnson could have definitely filled the 12 or 13 spot
KJ over Kidd if we are talking about their time on the Suns. He had an unbelievable prime and was a great playoff performer. Larry Nance could have been there aswell, maybe even Alvan Adams. Maybe even Raja Bell for his on-ball perimeter defense. Not a lot of defense from this team, compared to some other great teams, still a really good squad.