Suns Points Leaders:Regular Season, Career Total. As the greatness level rises, the "what could have been" level rises with it. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, 1971 All-Star MVP, 1969-70 assists champ. Stats: 23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.3 BPG in 19 seasons with Orlando Magic (1992-93 to 1995-96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-97 to 2003-04), Miami Heat (2004-05 to 2007-08), Phoenix Suns (2007-08 to 2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10) and Boston Celtics (2010-11). Stats: 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG in 14 seasons with Cincinnati Royals (1960-61 to 1969-70) and Milwaukee Bucks (1970-71 to 1973-74). For a fifth straight year, the NBA's Most Valuable Player award will go to someone born outside of the United States. Looking at the current roster, it will take a wild turn of events for that to change before the team celebrates its 50th anniversary.Do not be fooled, however. Bob Pettit held the record from 1964 to 1966 and is the first player to eclipse 20,000 career points. A poor man's Charles Barkley, Truck Robinson spit in the face of the "tweener" stigma. Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG in 10 seasons with Atlanta Hawks (1970-71 to 1973-74), New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-75 to 1979-80) and Boston Celtics (1979-80). Exciting. Gar Heard's 6.7 PPG and 6.9 RPG are not the stuff of legend. For a fifth straight year, the NBA's Most Valuable Player award will go to someone born outside of the United States. After spending the first part of his career in Philadelphia with the 76ers, Barkley came to Phoenix in 1992.He would play four seasons with the Suns (1993-1996), and he made the All-Star teams and an All-NBA team each of those years.He also was named the Most Valuable Player of the league in 1993.That same year, he led the Suns to the Finals, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan. Stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG in 13 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1979-80 to 1990-91; 1995-96). Phoenix ended up finding huge success with Stoudemire as the teams best scorer when Steve Nash joined the franchise. Maurice Lucas spent only three seasons with Phoenix and was past his prime during all of them. Even when projected over 36 minutes, His 11.1 points and 10.8 rebounds aren't too impressive considering his 41.5 shooting percentage. Alvan Adams' teammate on the 1976 Finals team, Paul Westphal was another key contributor on that team. Stats: 12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG in 19 seasons with Dallas Mavericks (1994-95 to 1996-97; 2007-08 to 2011-12), Phoenix Suns (1996-97 to 2000-01), New Jersey Nets (2001-02 to 2007-08) and New York Knicks (2012-13). That didn't stop Suns.com's Matt Petersen from picking the Suns Finally, West appeared in every single game during his six years with the Suns, making him the ninth-most prolific Suns player of all-time (the rest of the top 10 appears higher on this list). Additionally, he made six All-Star teams (1978-1981, 1984, 1987) and two All-NBA teams (1978, 1979).. Stats: 23.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 8.5 APG in 13 seasons with Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09 to 2018-19), Houston Rockets (2019-20) and Washington Wizards (2020-21)*. Steve Nash is not as easy a choice for No. His numbers don't scream at you (14.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG), but his ability to defend (two All-Defensive teams), slash, space the floor for Jeff Hornacek and Kevin Johnson and provide instant offense off the bench made Majerle a consummate team player and winner. The Suns have a rich tradition, currently Why have they not been able to win it all? Certain names created legacies that are beloved and respected by the entire Suns fan base. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1950-51 Rookie of the Year, 1952 All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, 1956 NBA champion. Stats: 19.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.5 APG in 19 seasons with Boston Celtics (1998-99 to 2012-13), Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Washington Wizards (2014-15) and LA Clippers (2015-16 to 2016-17). One of the first great stars for the Suns was forward Walter Davis.The fifth overall pick in the 1977 NBA draft by Phoenix, Davis played the first eleven seasons of his career with the Suns from 1977-1988.He won the 1978 Rookie of the Year and was named to the 1978 All-Rookie First team. Kidd made four All-Star appearances and received three all-NBA team selections to show how high he ranked compared to others. Still on the search for their first championship, the Phoenix Suns have had some fantastic players who have been the greatest in franchise history. The Phoenix Suns are one of the NBA teams still searching for their first NBA Championship victory. They entered the NBA in 1968 and have had their fair share of winning seasons. Walter Davis. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive Team, 2013 All-Star MVP, 2005-06 Rookie of the Year, six-time steals champ, four-time assists champ. Personally, I always considered them to be an offensive-minded franchise, but that has not always been the case, as seen in their year-by-year ranks in offensive and defensive rating: Sure, theyve had more years where they were dominant on the offensive side of the ball, but they have had periods where they were able to compete at a high level defensively, as well. Count Walter Davis among that latter groupalthough the swingman did go on to have a fantastic career, averaging 20.5 points, 4.4 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 52.0 percent from the field and 84.1 from the line during his 10 years with the Suns. Who Is Better: Lebron James Or Wilt Chamberlain? RELATED: 10 Best Players In Oklahoma City Thunder History. Nash led the Suns from a secondary playoff team fighting to stay in, to a title contender often contending for the one seed. How Many Championships Does Kobe Bryant Have? Still on the search for their first championship, the Phoenix Suns have had some fantastic players who have been the greatest in franchise history. Stats: 18.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG in 13 seasons with New York Knicks (1967-68 to 1976-77) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-78 to 1979-80). They've made 29 trips to the postseason, and their all-time winning percentage is .552.That's the fourth-best in NBA history, behind the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs.That isn't to say that Phoenix has the history of those three teamswho have won a combined 37 titlesbut so much consistent winning over decades and decades means that this is one of the most competitive top 25 lists in the league.In order to select the greatest Suns of all time, I used the following primary criteria: seasons spent with the Suns, statistical averages and playoff success. For a fifth straight year, the NBA's Most Valuable Player award will go to someone born outside of the United States. Accomplishments: Nine-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA scoring champ. Stats: 27.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.7 APG in 14 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1960-61 to 1973-74). Both first seasons for Paul featured All-Star and all-NBA appearances continuing his legendary run as a point guard. Devin Booker, 26 1. Amare Stoudemire was a risky draft pick by the Phoenix Suns taking a player out of high school in the lottery. However, there are two things that make Heard a Suns' great. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1994-95 MVP, 1991-92 Defensive Player of the Year, 1989-90 Rookie of the Year, 1993-94 scoring champ, 1990-91 rebounding champ, 1991-92 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Barkley's regular season numbers23.4 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 4.4 APG and 1.6 SPG on 50.1 percent shootingare those of a hard-working, efficient, physically dominant, unselfish player. In relatively limited time with the team compared to most on this list, Chambers made the eighth most free throws (1,944), grabbed the ninth most defensive rebounds (1,941), had the ninth highest free throw percentage (84.4%), and averaged the seventh most points per game (20.6) in Suns history. Teams, players profiles, awards, stats, records and championships. Full of brilliant play makers. Phoenix actually drafted Nash years prior, but this was the first time he held great relevance joining them and becoming a superstar. A number of Suns players have made selected to the All-NBA First Team. * Players in bold played in the 2023 Regular Season, Comments? The Suns viewed Chambers as one of their most reliable players when on an upswing. His 25.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 5.3 APG and 1.7 SPG are simply not rivaled by anyone else outside of the top 10, and his three All-Star appearances in his three seasons with Phoenix accurately illustrate his unlimited ability. WebCheck out the current Phoenix Suns roster and learn more about your favorite players with access to bios, photos and stats on NBA.com While the league has not yet announced the Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1999-2000 MVP, 1992-93 Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star MVP, three-time Finals MVP, two-time scoring champ, four-time NBA champion. It's one thing to read those stats next to each other, but the sheer absurdity of Marion's all-around dominance is perhaps better described the following way. The Suns have a rich tradition, currently ranking fourth among all active franchises in all-time winning percentage, at .551, behind three teams that have combined for 38 championships (the Lakers, Spurs, and Celtics). Despite only playing four seasons with the team, Barkley still has the seventh most total rebounds with 3,232, the eighth most offensive rebounds with 881, the fifth most defensive rebounds with 2,351, and the fourth most triple doubles with 8.Additionally, his 23.4 points per game average ranks third in team history.After a great career with three different teams, Barkley was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Some of Johnsons notable numbers include having the third most points scored with 12,747, the second most assists with 6,518, the fourth most steals with 1,022, the most made free throws with 3,851, and the fifth most games played with 683.He also helped the team reach the NBA Finals for the second time in team history in 1993, losing to Michael Jordan and the Bulls.He may not have been a Hall of Famer, but Johnson was a key player on some of the best Suns teams ever. In his 20th NBA season, LeBron nailed a 21-foot shot late against the Oklahoma City Thunder by breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbars record of 38,387 points on February 8, 2023. His 1.8 SPG aren't bad either, nor are his four All-Star and four All-NBA appearances. A big issue will be the defensive performance of their starting lineup. Regardless, their all-time team is one of the most fun in our tournament, and will present match up problems for their first round opponent. He responded with a season-saving game, dropping 36 points on 6-of-12 from three. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 1950-51 rebounding champ, 1955 NBA champion. Jim Chones - All-Time Cleveland Cavaliers. Stats: 20.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG in 19 NBA seasons with Buffalo Braves (1976-77), Houston Rockets (1976-77 to 1981-82), Philadelphia 76ers (1982-83 to 1985-86; 1993-94), Washington Bullets (1986-87 to 1987-88), Atlanta Hawks (1988-89 to 1990-91), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-92 to 1992-93) and San Antonio Spurs (1994-95); also played two ABA seasons with Utah Stars (1974-75) and Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76). Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1985-86 scoring champ. Phoenix retired Johnsons jersey after his long stint with the franchise ended with four All-Star appearances and five all-NBA selections. Steve Nash is not as easy a choice for No. During his final three years, however, he became an all-round force. Their teams featured talented stars like Kevin Johnson, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion, but ultimately, not even outstanding players like Nash and Barkley could push the Suns over the proverbial hump. All-Time Houston Rockets vs. Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defensive Team, 2003-04 MVP, 2007-08 Defensive Player of the Year, 2003 All-Star MVP, four-time rebounding champ, 2008 NBA champion. Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1967-68 Rookie of the Year, 1973 NBA champion. Stats: 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 BPG in 18 seasons with Houston Rockets (1984-85 to 2000-01) and Toronto Raptors (2001-02); NBA's career leader in total blocks. This page features a list with the leaders in points in NBA history Notes: - These stats were updated on May 1, 2023- Three-pointers were implemented in 1979-80. The NBA's all-time leader in assists and steals, Stockton led the NBA in assists per game for nine consecutive seasons between 1987 and 1996. This could change when Nash eventually gets the call. Considering that his five All-Star and four All-NBA appearances came despite all his health problems, it's fair to say that Amar'e Stoudemire was the most talented player to ever put on a Suns' uniform. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1968-69 MVP, 1968-69 Rookie of the Year, 1978 Finals MVP, 1974-75 rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. During his time in the desert, Stoudamire grabbed the third most rebounds (4,613), scored the seventh most points (11,035), made the third most free throws (3,044), and played the ninth most minutes (17,686) in team history.Stoudamire and Nash may not have quite had the team success they wanted, losing in the Western Conference Finals three times (2005, 2006, 2010), but they still created some great memories for Suns fans of the early 2000s. Stats: 13.1 PPG, 10.5 APG, 2.2 SPG in 19 seasons with Utah Jazz (1984-85 to 2002-03); NBA's career leader in total assists and steals. For the first time in Stephen Curry's career he went down 0-2 in a playoff series. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, 1958-59 Rookie of the Year, 1959 All-Star MVP. The following Phoenix players deserve to be called the best in franchise history. While the trade doesn't greatly boost Nance's ranking, it should be noted that his dominance made him valuable enough to be traded for much of the core of Phoenix's great 1990s teams. The Suns possess one of the richer histories of talent in the NBA. WebPhoenix Suns All-Time Players. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, 1966-67 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star MVP, 1967-68 scoring champ. Stats: 18.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 7.4 APG in 13 seasons with Cincinnati Royals/KC-Omaha/Kansas City Kings (1970-71 to 1975-76), New York Nets (1976-77), Boston Celtics (1978-79 to 1982-83) and Milwaukee Bucks (1983-84). 5 Knicks vs. No. However, the Suns only made the NBA Finals once under Barkley and zero times with Nash. "My top five is LJ [LeBron James] No. Two of the greatest Suns players ever are Steve Nash and Charles Barkley.They are among the greatest players to never win a championship. Both won league MVP awards (Nash won it in back-to-back years in 2005 and 2006) and carried Phoenix deep into the playoffs. The Phoenix Suns franchise changed when Steve Nash joined in free agency after a great Dallas Mavericks stint. During his first eight seasons, however, Adams went for 16.2 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.4 SPG and 1.0 BPG on 49.7 percent shooting. We know this. The primary reason that Cliff Robinson beats out his close competitors for this final spot is his two-way game and the impact that it had on his Suns. Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG in 18 seasons with Phoenix Suns (1996-97 to 1997-98; 2004-05 to 2011-12), Dallas Mavericks (1998-99 to 2003-04) and Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13 to 2013-14). Marions career numbers with the Suns amounted to him having the second most steals (1,245), the second most rebounds (6,616), the third most blocks (894), the fifth most points scored (12,134), the fifth most three-pointers (652), and the sixth most games played (660) in franchise history.Marion went on to win an NBA title with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 after leaving Phoenix, and he was a solid all-around player wherever he went in his career. Accomplishments: 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defensive team, 2007-08 MVP, two-time Finals MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, five-time NBA champion. For the first time in Stephen Curry's career he went down 0-2 in a playoff series. Stats: 18.5 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 3.1 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1949-50 to 1963-64). Stats: 23.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.8 APG in seven seasons with Minneapolis Lakers (1948-49 to 1955-56). Westphal deserves a lot of love for his coaching tenure as well, leading the Suns to the 1993 NBA Finals. But among these stars, who shines the brightest? With plenty of time to go in Phoenix most likely, Booker already has made the most three-pointers in team history with 1,089, made the fourth most made free throws with 2,693, dished out the seventh most assists with 2,521, and scored the fourth most points with 12,688.If Booker keeps this pace up, he has a chance to find himself at number one on this list, as well as the Basketball Hall of Fame. Who Are the Best Phoenix Suns Basketball Players of All Time? Both won league MVP awards (Nash won it in back-to-back years in 2005 and 2006) and carried Phoenix deep into the playoffs. The 2022 All-Star Game is once again slated to return to Cleveland as a nod to that moment. Required fields are marked *. The starting backcourt consists of the dynamic combination of Steve Nash and Paul Westphal. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1968 All-Star MVP, 1967 NBA champion. Who are the best Phoenix Suns of all time? The Suns ended up with four former players on the all-time list in O'Neal, Barkley (21st), Jason Kidd (33rd), Steve Nash (37th) and one current one in Chris Paul (38th). Accomplishments: Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1977-78 MVP, 1977 Finals MVP, 1985-86 Sixth Man of the Year, 1976-77 rebounding champ, 1976-77 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Even though Nash and Mike DAntoni were more responsible for the fast-paced innovative offense, the Suns needed Amare to step up scoring for it to work. The NBA is celebrating its 75th anniversary throughout the 2021-22 season, and part of that celebration includes the unveiling of the list of the greatest players in NBA history. The big man averaged 19.2 points and 8.6 rebounds during his tenure with the Suns, but more impressive than that were his 56.8 FG percentage, 1.2 steals and 2.1 blocks. This career year facilitated a trade that netted the Suns Kevin Johnson, Mark West and Dan Majerle, all three of whom appear on this list. 1. Adams went on to put up impressive numbers long after his rookie year. His 16.3 PPG are not awe-inspiring, and his mediocre defense has him falling short of the lockdown guys that have dominated this list. Tom Chambers put up ridiculously strong regular season numbersparticularly during his first two years in Phoenix, averaging 26.5 points and 7.7 reboundsbut it was his ability to perform in the playoffs that makes him one of the greatest players in Suns history. For his Suns career, he had a cumulative .606 true shooting percentage. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts. During halftime of the 1997 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, 47 of the 50 members of that team were honored in person. Dig in below for a deep dive on the best 75 of all time. Stats: 18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 1.8 APG in 10 seasons with New York Knicks (1964-65 to 1973-74). Amare Stoudemire, 40 3. Tom Chambers was another offensively talented big man, and Alvan Adams, one of the great passing centers ever, rounds out the bench. Connie Hawkins is best remembered as an ABA legend, but he was dominant during his four seasons with the Suns as well. Stats: 13.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.4 APG in 10 seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (1974-75 to 1977-78), San Diego/LA Clippers (1979-80 to 1984-85) and Boston Celtics (1985-86 to 1986-87). Historically, the Suns featured a high flying offensive attack. He averaged 20 points during his first five seasons and retired with a 17.6 point average, but his legacy is about far more than his averages. Hornacek was eventually traded for Charles Barkley, but is forever a Phoenix legend, remembered as one half of the Suns' best backcourt of all-time (alongside Kevin Johnson) and one of the most efficient scorers of his generation. Stats: 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 16 seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1984-85 to 1991-92), Phoenix Suns (1992-93 to 1995-96) and Houston Rockets (1996-97 to 1999-00). Stats: 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.7 APG in 15 seasons with St. Louis Hawks (1960-61 to 1967-68), Seattle SuperSonics (1968-69 to 1971-72), Cleveland Cavaliers (1972-73 to 1973-74) and Portland Trail Blazers (1974-75). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 15-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, 2000 All-Star MVP, 1997-98 Rookie of the Year, five-time NBA champion. Another great player on the early 2000s Suns teams was power forward Shawn Marion.Yet another ninth overall pick in the draft, the Suns took Marion with that pick in the 1999 edition.His first nine seasons in the league came with the Suns (1999-2008), and he was named to the All-Rookie Second team after his first season.Moreover, he made four All-Star teams (2003, 2005-2007) and two All-NBA teams (2005, 2006) during his time there. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, five-time MVP, 1963 All-Star MVP, four-time rebounding champ, 11-time NBA champion. Stats: 21.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.8 APG in 16 season with San Diego/Houston Rockets (1968-69 to 1971-72; 1981-82 to 1983-84) and Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets (1972-73 to 1980-81) . Even within his 22.4 minutes per game, the forward averaged 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks. If not, you surely must have caught the response when John Stockton (#19) and Scottie Pippen (#25) appeared before Isiah Thomas (#26)? He made the All-Defensive team with Phoenix twice, and as a result, helped lead the Suns twice out of Round 1 and once to the Western Conference finals. All-time greats like George Mikan, Rick Barry, George Gervin, Allen Iverson, Isiah Thomas, Scottie Pippen and Kevin McHale all fell just short of making it, which should illustrate just how accomplished the 25 who made the list had to be. Tom Chambers, The first of two players in a row who were on the Suns 1976 NBA Finals team is Alvan Adams.1976 was Adamss rookie season, and in terms of awards won, it was his best with the team.After being taken with the fourth overall pick in the draft by the Suns in 1975, Adams won the 1976 Rookie of the Year award, was named to the 1976 All-Rookie First team, and made the All-Star team in 1976.Ultimately, his rookie season was almost perfect, but the team lost to the Boston Celtics in the 1976 NBA Finals.He wound up playing all thirteen of his NBA seasons with the team (1975-1988).. He averaged 18.4 points and 9.6 rebounds on 51.0 percent shooting during his three years in Phoenix. The complete list of players is in alphabetical order below. Oftentimes the best players have modest rookie seasons and break out a couple years down the line, whereas superstar-level rookies can struggle to build on or even match their early productivity. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1963-64 MVP, 1960-61 Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star MVP, six-time assists champ, 1971 NBA champion. Coach: Cotton Fitzsimmons (you cant go wrong with John MacLeod, Paul Westphal, or Mike DAntoni, but Fitzsimmons led the team to top 10 finishes in both offense and defense from 1989-1992), All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .551, Your email address will not be published. While the league has not yet announced the winner of the Michael Jordan Trophy, the finalists are Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Stats: 16.1 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG in 12 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1962-63 to 1968-69) and New York Knicks (1968-69 to 1973-74). Though he wasnt the athletic marvel that he was in Philadelphia, he was still one of the best players in the league on the Suns, and provides them with a dominant low-post scorer. The playing career of Westphal featured his best success in Phoenix making four All-Star appearances and receiving four all-NBA selections each. On the surface, Charlie Scott looks like one of the greatest Suns of all time. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has held the NBA's all-time scoring record since 1984. While on the Suns, the Hall of Famer showed off his all-around game by averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.7 blocks on 45.5 FG shooting and 80.7 FT shooting. Imagining AllTime Suns as Football Players. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, five-time MVP, six-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 1987-88 Defensive Player of the Year, 1984-85 Rookie of the Year, 10-time scoring champ, three-time steals champ, six-time NBA champion. Suggestions? Paul Westphal, Barkleys former coach, was once quoted as saying, next to Shaq, Charles may have been the worst player in history at defending the pick-and-roll. Stoudemire and Nash were poor defenders as well. Privacy and Cookies Policy. RELATED: 10 Best Players In Toronto Raptors History. Raja Bell assumed the role of Suns' starting SG after Johnson's departure in 2005. Stats: 24.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.5 APG in 15 seasons with Atlanta Hawks (1982-83 to 1993-94), LA Clippers (1993-94), Boston Celtics (1994-95), San Antonio Spurs (1996-97) and Orlando Magic (1998-99). Stats: 22.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.4 APG in 16 seasons with Miami Heat (2003-04 to 2015-16; 2017-18 to 2018-19), Chicago Bulls (2016-17) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18). Phoenix has showcased some of the best players of their era, along with names that were more loved as a role player. Stats: 16.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.2 APG in 17 season with Chicago Bulls (1987-88 to 1997-98; 2003-04), Houston Rockets (1998-99) and Portland Trail Blazers (1999-00 to 2002-03). Both players were part of the most entertaining teams in the NBA. During that clutch time criteria, Fox, 25, led the league in scoring at 5.0 points per game and shot 52.9% from the field, 31.8% on 3-pointers and 86% on free throws. Accomplishments: 11-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980-81 MVP, two-time NBA All-Star MVP, 1983 NBA champion. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, three-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, four-time assists champ, two-time steals champ, five-time NBA champion. Like previously listed guard named Johnson, Dennis Johnson would be higher on this list if his three years in the Valley of the Sun didn't end with a desire to leave due to fallout with the coaching staff and management. Deep. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, five-time assists champ, two-time MVP. Soon Indiana pacers vs. Miami Heat game became a sought after game in the NBA, with fans and pundits anticipating another war of basketball. Until then, voteor rerank this list according to who you think is the greatest Phoenix Suns player in franchise history. Still, Davis never quite lived up to his Rookie of the Year campaign in 1977-78, when he averaged a career-high 24.2 points and 6.0 rebounds. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, two-time All-Star MVP, 1990 Finals MVP, 1984-85 assists champ, two-time NBA champion. The NBA defines clutch time as the last five minutes of a game when the margin is five points or fewer. Off the bench, Hall-of-Famer Connie Hawkins can play at either forward position. WebNBA Classic Teams: Players Added to All-Time Teams in NBA 2K22. The future Hall of Famer spent only four of his 19 NBA seasons with Phoenix, but that doesn't make his 14.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 9.8 APG or 2.1 SPG any easier to believe. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Deep. That, along with his absurd numbers, place him in the conversation for best offensive PG of all-time. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, 1986-87 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time Sixth Man of the Year, three-time NBA champion. Barkley's Suns never won a title, but that's a burden that every player on this list sharesand one that his 26.5 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.7 SPG and 1.0 BPG in the postseason essentially free him fromand that he is one of only two Suns players to hold a claim as the NBA's best player throughout a season. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 10-time All-Defensive team, 1994 All-Star MVP, 1994-95 steals champ, six-time NBA champion. He has fewer win shares than He was also known as a clutch shooter, and the 48.3 percent he shot from deep during his three postseason trips with the Suns is evidence of such. While it is certainly not clear cut, Steve Nash deserves the nod as the greatest Sunof all time. Stats: 24.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.6 APG in nine seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (2012-13 to 2020-21)*. Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 2012-13 Rookie of the Year. The on-court success of Booker was always there despite the lack of team results, as seen with him scoring 70 points for a shocking career high. In eight years with Phoenix (twice the time Chuck spent), Stoudemire averaged 21.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks on 54.4 percent shooting. While the league has not yet announced the winner of the Michael Jordan Trophy, the finalists are Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. During the 1989 playoffs, Chambers averaged 26.0 points, 10.9 rebounds 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks, carrying the Suns to the conference finals. Jason Kidd is one of the greatest all-around guards ever, and adds a much needed defensive presence to this backcourt. Some of the players who are often considered among the greatest of all time include: Michael Jordan: Jordan is widely considered the greatest NBA player of
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