Phoenix Suns: 3 bold predictions for 2018-19 NBA season

1. The Phoenix Suns will make the playoffs

I know, I know. I myself have said before they won’t make the playoffs. What a delusional hypocrite, right? Bear with me.

Let’s start by imagining the Phoenix Suns make a trade for a stopgap point guard, let’s say something along the lines of this trade that exchanges Patrick Beverley for T.J. Warren. Nothing crazy yet.

The Suns would have three-fifths of the 2016-17 Houston Rockets‘ starting lineup, which finished third place in the West. In two years, it’s not like Beverley, Trevor Ariza and Ryan Anderson could have regressed that much.

Devin Booker is perhaps stylistically the closest player to James Harden in the league, even if he’s admittedly a light version of Harden. Deandre Ayton could get close to approximating a 22-year-old Clint Capela‘s production, and probably even has some skills that Capela didn’t have.

The Suns’ bench is arguably even more complete than that Rockets team. Josh Jackson and Mikal Bridges are two modern wings, Tyson Chandler is a dependable vet, and Elie Okobo, Dragan Bender and De’Anthony Melton bring some serious upside.

Now, that’s not to say this team will be as good as that one. Still, even if they’re 5-7 wins worse, that’s still good enough for a playoff slot.

I know, this isn’t exactly likely. Still, there’s definitely a non-zero chance that the Phoenix Suns make the playoffs this year for the first time in nine years.