The Phoenix Suns’ 2015-16 season may be lost already, but there are still plenty of silver linings to keep the fanbase engaged.
At 14-31, the Phoenix Suns are not where they wanted to be in the weeks leading up to the All-Star break. The 2015-16 NBA season was supposed to mark a return to the playoffs for the Suns, and the end of a five-year playoff drought. Instead, Phoenix is closer to having the worst record in the Western Conference (5.5 games) than a playoff spot (seven games).
Eric Bledsoe is done for the season, Markieff Morris‘ trade value and on-court value are both kaput and nagging injuries to Brandon Knight, Ronnie Price, Jon Leuer and Keef have left the Suns severely undermanned over the last few games. But as Saturday’s win over the Atlanta Hawks showed, this season hasn’t been a complete waste.
One buzzer-beating three-pointer doesn’t overshadow a season of overwhelming disappointment. Leading into Saturday’s contest, the Suns had dropped 15 of their last 16 games, with Phoenix using many of those to discover new and inventive ways to experience a devastating new low point of the season.
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Yet even in a lost season that was heading south before Bledsoe’s injury, there are silver linings to Phoenix’s current misery. Here’s a look at five reasons Suns fans have to be optimistic about the future, even if the present situation is completely gloomy.
Next: No. 5