Who is most responsible for the Phoenix Suns’ culture shift?

Few franchises have overcome horrible internal management from the top down like the Phoenix Suns have, so who deserves the credit for this shift?

It’s been an uphill battle for Phoenix Suns fans as they combat their favorite team’s owner and his unfathomable mismanagement of a franchise over the years. Yet here they are — One of the top teams in the Western Conference through the early portion of the season with a budding young core and an all-time great leader in Chris Paul.

So just how did they manage to pull this off? For 10 years, the Phoenix Suns have missed the NBA postseason. At times, they fell just short of the eighth seed with a hodgepodge of sneaky guards and feisty frontcourt players. For other stretches, the team seemed like a lost cause without a rhyme or reason.

Now, the Phoenix Suns have a culture and a direction. General manager James Jones stepped into the role with very limited front office experience, but corporate knowledge of franchises, players and legacies that far transcend the sport. He hired Monty Williams, whose personal and professional experiences have shaped him to be an incredible leader and an even better man.

Still, how much can you credit these guys without talking about the players themselves? We remember coaches and genius teambuilders, but not nearly as well as the game remembers the players.

Regardless of how you spin it, these aren’t the Phoenix Suns that basketball fans are accustomed to seeing. They’re committed to defense, have a dynamic offense that can kill you in the halfcourt or stretch the floor when out in transition. They play in-sync on most nights and uplift each other when they fail to see their potential through.

Legitimate competitive expectations have arrived on the doorstep of their arena in Downtown Phoenix. So who deserves the most credit for this transition?