Phoenix Suns: Ranking the Top 15 Players in Franchise History

Phoenix Suns fans have seen a varied collection of All-Star-caliber players since the organization's inaugural 1968-69 season. But with more than 40 years of Suns basketball in the books, which of those players are worthy enough to be named the top 15 in franchise history?

Although the intensely loyal fan base has not yet been treated to an NBA title, the Suns have made the NBA Finals twice. They did so in 1976 behind the exploits of Paul Westphal and Alvan Adams, and again in 1993 with Sir Charles Barkley at the helm.

Despite never hoisting a championship trophy, the Suns winning percentage of .552 is fourth-best in NBA history. They trail only the Los Angeles Lakers (.619), Boston Celtics (.594) and San Antonio Spurs (.590) in that category.

With a winning culture comes a plethora of talented players, but this ranking aims to find the best of the best.

Note: All statistics in this article are courtesy of Basketball Reference.

How Players Are Ranked

As is the case with any all-time list, there need to be some guidelines.

The top-15 Phoenix Suns players of all time will be ranked by a collection of the following criteria:

Longevity

Because these guys are supposed to be the 15 best in Suns franchise history, they must have a history in Phoenix. Therefore, only players who spent a minimum of four full seasons with the Suns qualify for the top 15.

We'll call it, "The Charles Barkley Rule."

Place in Franchise History

Again, because this list aims to find the 15 best Suns of all time, each player’s spot in franchise history will carry some weight. The Suns' all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists, etc. will get credit for that long-term accomplishment. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean that guys who only played four seasons for Phoenix will be hindered in the rankings. 

Individual Accolades

This category will be broken down with a “Suns Resume.” The resume will list all individual accolades each player achieved as a Sun. So while Steve Nash is an eight-time NBA All-Star, six of those All-Star nods occurred in a Suns uniform. For the purpose of this list, he’s a six-time All-Star.

To reiterate, players like Shaquille O’Neal and Grant Hill won’t make the list because their respective careers were coming to an end when they landed in Phoenix. Just because they both have tremendous career accolades does not mean they meant more to the Suns as a franchise.

We’re not listing the best players who played for the Suns, but rather the best Suns.

Team Success

All of the following guys could put stats in the box score, but contributing to overall team success will also be a big factor.

Only two Suns teams in history have reached the NBA Finals. As a result, integral members of those teams will get credit for doing so.

Also, members of Suns teams that were repeatedly competing in the playoffs will receive more recognition than players who weren't a part of much team success.

Best Season

This is partly a sub-section of "individual accolades," but each player on the list will have a section noting their best season as a Sun. This section is subjective, but each player's best season will be decided by a mixture of individual stats as well as team performance.

Honorable Mentions

The following Phoenix Suns players don't crack the top 15 for various reasons, but they were some of the best in franchise history, regardless.

Leandro Barbosa/Rodney Rogers/Danny Manning/Eddie Johnson

All four of these super-subs make the honorable mentions because they each won the Sixth Man of the Year Award during their stint in Phoenix.

Leandro Barbosa is third in franchise history in three-point field goals made (709), fourth in three-point field goals attempted (1,781) and fifth in three-point field goal percentage (39.8 percent).

Rodney Rogers is ninth in defensive rating (99.4).

Eddie Johnson, meanwhile, ranks third in free-throw percentage (87 percent).

Dennis Johnson

Dennis Johnson doesn't qualify for the top 15 because he only played three seasons in Phoenix. If that guideline wasn't in place, though, he probably would have made the list due to his personal accomplishments.

DJ played in Phoenix from 1981-1983. With the Suns, he was an All-NBA First Team member (1981), three-time NBA All-Defensive First Team member (1981-1983) and two-time NBA All-Star (1981-1982). Though short-lived, his stint in the desert was no joke.

During his three-year stay with the Suns, Johnson averaged 18.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

He is best remembered for his years with the Boston Celtics, where he won two NBA championships. He was also NBA Finals MVP in 1979 when he won his first title with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Mark West

Mark West played in the NBA for 17 years, and more than seven of his seasons were spent with the Phoenix Suns.

Although West was never more than a rock-solid role player, his name is frequently found among the Suns all-time leaders.

West is the franchise leader in field-goal percentage (61.3 percent). He's also fifth in franchise history in offensive rebounds (1,037), sixth in defensive rebounds (2,204), sixth in total rebounds (3,241), second in blocks (897) and ninth in defensive win shares (17.2).

Gar Heard

Gar Heard was an important glue guy for the Suns 1976 NBA Finals team. He hit the memorable "Shot Heard 'Round the World" in Game 5, which sent the contest into its third overtime. The Suns eventually lost the game and the series to the Boston Celtics, 4-2.

Heard is the franchise leader in defensive rating (95.2), and ranks ninth all time in blocks (303).

15. Jeff Hornacek

Suns Resume:

- NBA All-Star (1991)

- Played six seasons for Phoenix (1987-1992)

Place in Franchise History:

- Tenth all time in minutes (14,380); sixth in assists (2,523); seventh in steals (692); 10th in three-point field goal percentage (39 percent); fourth in free-throw percentage (85.4 percent); fifth in offensive rating (117.5).

Best Season with Suns:

1991-92: 20.1 points, 5.1 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 0.4 blocks, 51.2/43.9/88.6 shooting splits. (Led the team in points and steals per game; Suns lost Western Conference semifinals 4-1 to Portland Trail Blazers).

Breakdown

Jeff Hornacek is making headlines in 2013 for becoming the Phoenix Suns’ next head coach, but that shouldn’t overshadow a solid playing stint for the franchise he’ll now lead from the sidelines.

Although Hornacek only made one All-Star team in his career (in 1991), his best season for the Suns occurred a year later.

In 1991-92, Hornacek recorded 20.1 points, 5.1 assists and five rebounds per game. Posting a 20-5-5 average in a season is something we see from the likes of Dwyane Wade in today’s NBA landscape, so the fact that Hornacek did it is very impressive.

His stay with the Suns was more than respectable, but Suns fans are eternally grateful for Hornacek’s role as a trade chip.

After his stellar 1991-92 campaign, Hornacek was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers along with forward Tim Perry and center Andrew Lang for future MVP Charles Barkley.

Hornacek was a true class act on and off the court, but the decision to trade him for Chuck certainly worked in the Suns’ favor.

14. Larry Nance

Suns Resume:

- NBA All-Star (1985)

- NBA Slam Dunk champion (1984)

- Played more than six seasons for Phoenix (1982-1988)

Place in Franchise History:

- Franchise leader in blocks (940).

- Ninth all time in minutes (15,731); ninth in field goals made (3,425); ninth in free throw attempts (2,196); fourth in offensive rebounds (1,232); fourth in defensive rebounds (2,559); fourth in total rebounds (3,791); ninth in steals (516); ninth in points (8,430); fifth in field-goal percentage (56.1 percent); eighth in player efficiency rating (19.8); ninth in offensive win shares (31.4); fourth in defensive win shares (22.2); eighth in total win shares (53.6).

Best Season with Suns:

1986-87: 22.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 2.1 blocks, 55.1/20.0/77.3 shooting splits. (Averaged career highs in points and assists per game; Suns did not make the playoffs).

Breakdown

Even though Larry Nance truly realized his defensive potential after getting traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers (where he had his number retired), the All-Star and NBA Slam Dunk champion arguably had his best years in the Valley of the Sun.

A freak athlete, Nance averaged 20 or more points for three consecutive seasons: 1985-86, 1986-87 and 1987-88 (the year he was traded). He was part of an incredibly potent one-two scoring punch with Suns legend Walter Davis (stay tuned).

Phoenix had success with Davis and Nance leading the way, but the Suns had missed the playoffs for three straight years before he was traded to Cleveland.

On the bright side, the Suns netted Mark West, Tyrone Corbin, draft picks and a 21-year-old rookie guard named Kevin Johnson in return.

You have to hand it to the Suns. When they traded All-Star talents, they managed to get even better players in return.

13. Jason Kidd

Suns Resume:

- Three-time All-NBA First Team (1999-2001)

- Three-time NBA All-Star (1998, 2000-2001)

- Two-time NBA All-Defensive First Team (1999, 2001)

- NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2000)

- Three-time NBA assists leader (1999-2001)

- Played more than four seasons for Phoenix (1997-2001)

Place in Franchise History:

- Fifth all time in assists (3,011); eighth in steals (655); eighth in defensive win shares (18.6).

Best Season with Suns:

1999-00: 14.3 points, 10.1 assists, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 0.4 blocks, 40.9/33.7/82.9 shooting splits. (Named All-NBA First Team member, All-Star and NBA All-Defensive Second Team member; Suns lost Western Conference semifinals 4-1 to Los Angeles Lakers).

Breakdown

As an All-NBA First Team member from 1999-2001, Jason Kidd was one of the league’s five best players for three straight years while playing for the Phoenix Suns.

He’s one of the best players in NBA history, and his talents hit an individual high point during his four-plus years in Phoenix. So why does Kidd only land at No. 13 on the countdown?

Well, part of that is due to the Suns’ team success with the All-Star point guard at the helm.

Phoenix made the playoffs every year he played (from 1997-2001), but Kidd’s Suns only made it past the first round of the postseason once. It happened in 2000, but the Suns got ousted in the Western Conference semifinals 4-1 by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Another factor in the equation is that Suns fans don’t have the fondest memories from J-Kidd’s stint in Phoenix.

In January 2001, Kidd was arrested on a domestic violence charge and admitted to hitting his wife, Joumana, in the face, according to ABC News.

He played out the remainder of the season for the Suns, but he was traded that summer to the New Jersey Nets for Stephon Marbury.

The blockbuster deal was one of the strangest in NBA history, because rarely are players with the talent level of Kidd traded at the peak of their playing career. The off-court baggage was clearly something owner Jerry Colangelo wasn’t going to tolerate.

Kidd is one of the best point guards to ever play the game, but his standing as a Phoenix Sun is greatly hindered by an ugly exit and a lack of playoff success.

12. Dan Majerle

Suns Resume:

- Three-time NBA All-Star (1992-1993, 1995)

- Two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1991, 1993)

- Ring of Honor member

- Played eight full seasons for Phoenix (1989-1995, 2002)

Place in Franchise History:

- Eighth all time in games (595); seventh in minutes (19,409); 10th in field goals made (2,947); ninth in field goals attempted (6,658); second in three-point field goals made (800); second in three-point field goals attempted (2,200); sixth in offensive rebounds (894); ninth in defensive rebounds (1,929); ninth in total rebounds (2,823); 10th in assists (1,824); fifth in steals (811); 10th in points (8,034); eighth in offensive win shares (32.5); seventh in defensive win shares (19.5); ninth in total win shares (52).

Best Season with Suns:

1992-93: 16.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.4 blocks, 46.4/38.1/77.8 shooting splits. (Named All-Star and NBA All-Defensive Second Team member; Suns lost NBA Finals 4-2 to Chicago Bulls).

Breakdown

As far as fan favorites in Phoenix go, Dan Majerle is near the top of the list.

His grit and hustle out on the court led to three All-Star appearances and two NBA All-Defensive Second Team selections. He was a two-way player in every sense.

"Thunder Dan" started all 82 regular seasons for the 1992-93 Suns team that went on to make the NBA Finals. In the ’93 finals against the Chicago Bulls, Majerle averaged 17.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.2 blocks per game.

Those are astounding numbers regardless of circumstance, but this was on the NBA’s highest stage. Not only that, but Majerle was also saddled with the impossible task of defending Michael Jordan for parts of the series. With that in mind, posting those stats is even more impressive.

Majerle spent the first seven years of his career in Phoenix playing a variety of roles on the team. Despite his standing as a fan favorite, the All-Star guard was traded along with a first-round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Suns general manager Bryan Colangelo pulled the trigger on the deal in order to get John “Hot Rod” Williams, who was meant to be an interior defensive anchor for the Suns. His production on the court never met the expectations of the front office or the fans.

Majerle returned to the Suns for one final run during the 2001-02 season. The 36-year-old played 65 games and averaged 4.6 points per contest.

In addition to being a Ring of Honor member, Majerle holds claim to the Dan Majerle Hustle Award. The organization's annual award has been handed out since 2003, rewarding Suns players who display the same hustle, determination and team commitment that Thunder Dan showed during his time as a player.

11. Tom Chambers

Suns Resume:

- Two-time All-NBA Second Team (1989-1990)

- Three-time NBA All-Star (1989-1991)

- Ring of Honor member

- Played five seasons for Phoenix (1989-1993)

Place in Franchise History:

- Tenth all time in field goals attempted (6,236); seventh in free throws made (1,944); seventh in free throws attempted (2,303); eighth in defensive rebounds (1,941); fifth in free-throw percentage (84.4 percent).

Best Season with Suns:

1989-90: 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.6 blocks, 50.1/27.9/86.1 shooting splits. (Named All-Star and All-NBA Second Team member; Suns lost Western Conference finals 4-2 to Portland Trail Blazers).

Breakdown

Tom Chambers experienced 10 quality seasons to start his NBA career. Although he was named an All-Star in 1987 with the Seattle SuperSonics and won All-Star game MVP, his NBA career peaked with the Phoenix Suns.

Chambers was a top-10 NBA player in 1989 and 1990, making the All-NBA Second Team in both seasons. During a five-year stint in Phoenix, Chambers was named an All-Star three times.

His best year occurred during the 1989-90 season, when he averaged a career-high 27.2 points per game to go with seven rebounds and 2.3 assists. He built off the success he had in the 1989 playoffs, when he averaged 26 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks over the course of 12 postseason games.

Unfortunately for Suns fans, TC was past his prime in 1993 when Phoenix finally made the NBA Finals. In 24 postseason games that year, Chambers averaged 7.3 points and 2.7 rebounds.

10. Dick Van Arsdale

Suns Resume:

- Three-time NBA All-Star (1969-1971)

- NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1974)

- Ring of Honor member

- Played nine seasons for Phoenix (1969-1977)

Place in Franchise History:

- Scored first points in Suns franchise history.

- Fourth all time in games (685); third in minutes (24,242); fifth in field goals made (4,328); fourth in field goal attempts (9,185); second in free throws made (3,404); second in free throws attempted (4,186); eighth in assists (2,396); fifth in points (12,060); third in offensive win shares (50.5); seventh in total win shares (63.6).

Best Season with Suns:

1969-70: 21.3 points, 4.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 50.8 percent field-goal shooting, 79.8 percent free-throw shooting. (Named NBA All-Star; Suns lost Western Division semifinals 4-3 to Los Angeles Lakers).

Breakdown

Dick Van Arsdale—I can’t help but say his name in Al McCoy’s legendary broadcast voice—holds a special place in Phoenix Suns history as “The Original Sun.”

Van Arsdale was selected by Phoenix in the 1968 expansion draft when the Suns first became an NBA franchise. He previously played for the New York Knicks, where he averaged 12.8 points per game over the course of three seasons.

After joining forces with Phoenix, he scored the first points in franchise history and played out the remainder of his NBA career in a Suns uniform.

Despite being named an All-Star from 1969-1971, Van Arsdale was never recognized as an All-NBA First Team or All-NBA Second Team member because of the league’s deep talent level of guards at the time.

Oscar Robertson, Earl Monroe, Jerry West, John Havlicek and Walt Frazier were among the names preventing Van Arsdale from cracking an All-NBA squad as one of the league’s top-10 players.

Another factor that works against Van Arsdale is team success.

He played nine seasons in Phoenix from 1969-1977. In that time, the Suns only made the playoffs twice. Once in 1970—when Connie Hawkins was the alpha dog and best player—and again in 1976 when the team made the NBA Finals—at this point, Van Arsdale was nearing the end of his career as he averaged only 8.5 points per game in the playoffs (seventh on the team).

Despite ranking in the top-five in eight different all-time Suns categories, Van Arsdale never led a Suns team to the playoffs as the best player. His place in franchise history is firmly cemented, but team success knocks him down to No. 10 on the countdown.

9. Alvan Adams

Suns Resume:

- NBA Rookie of the Year (1976)

- NBA All-Star (1976)

- Ring of Honor member

- Played entire 13-year career for Phoenix (1976-1988)

Place in Franchise History:

- Franchise leader in games (988), minutes (27,203), total rebounds (6,937), offensive rebounds (2,015), steals (1,289) and defensive win shares (43.6).

- Second all time in points (13,910); second in defensive rebounds (4,922); third in assists (4,012); fourth in blocks (808); fourth in total win shares (73.5).

Best Season with Suns:

1975-76: 19.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.5 blocks, 46.9 percent field-goal shooting, 73.5 percent free-throw shooting. (Won 1976 Rookie of the Year and made the All-Star team; Suns lost NBA Finals 4-2 to Boston Celtics).

Breakdown

Before the rookie arrival of Alvan Adams in 1975-76, the Phoenix Suns had failed to make the playoffs for five consecutive seasons. Not only did Adams win Rookie of the Year and make the All-Star team, but he also helped guide the Suns to the 1976 NBA Finals.

Only Tom Heinsohn, Elgin Baylor and Adams won Rookie of the Year, made the All-Star team and reached the NBA Finals in the same season. That's an accomplishment we'll likely never see again in an expanded 30-team league.

After being named an All-Star as a rookie, Adams never made another All-Star team. Nevertheless, the 6’9” University of Oklahoma product played fewer than 70 games in a season just once in his entire career (when he played 68 games in 1986-87). He was incredibly durable given his size and the time frame he played in.

Also, the Suns made the playoffs in nine of Adams’ 13 professional seasons. Of the nine, Phoenix made the Western Conference finals twice and the NBA Finals once.

There’s no doubting Adams’ contribution to team success, because his presence instantly helped make the Suns title contenders.

He’s the franchise leader in games, minutes, offensive rebounds, total rebounds, steals and defensive win shares.

8. Connie Hawkins

Suns Resume:

- All-NBA First Team (1970)

- Four-time NBA All-Star (1970-1973)

- Ring of Honor member

- Played four full seasons for Phoenix (1970-1973)

Place in Franchise History:

- Eighth all time in free throws made (1,830); eighth in free throws attempted (2,297); 10th in total rebounds (2,806).

Best Season with Suns:

1969-70: 24.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 49 percent field-goal shooting, 77.9 percent free-throw shooting. (Named All-Star and All-NBA First Team member; Suns lost Western Division semifinals 4-3 to Los Angeles Lakers).

Breakdown

Prior to his professional playing career, Connie Hawkins was wrongly accused of being involved in a New York City point-shaving scandal. 

The accusations led to his expulsion from the University of Iowa, and he was subsequently blackballed from joining the National Basketball Association.

As a result, Hawkins spent his early 20s playing for the American Basketball League (where he won an MVP), Harlem Globetrotters and American Basketball Association (where he won another MVP and an ABA championship).

After the lawsuit claiming Hawkins had been unfairly banned from competing in the NBA was settled, his rights were assigned to the Phoenix Suns, an expansion team at the time. To learn more about Hawkins’ story, the book Foul! by David Wolf is recommended reading.

When “The Hawk” finally joined the Suns as a 27-year-old, he picked up right where he left off in the ABA. The Suns legend played 81 games during the 1969-70 season and averaged 24.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He was named an All-Star and All-NBA First Team member as one of the five best players in basketball.

The 1970 Suns made the playoffs, but they lost a seven-game, first-round slugfest against the Los Angeles Lakers. Hawkins led Phoenix in the postseason by averaging 25.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game.

The Suns Ring of Honor member played three additional seasons for Phoenix. He was named an All-Star each year (four times total), but was traded eight games into the 1973-74 season to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Nagging knee injuries severely diminished his statistical output, and he was forced to retire at 33 years old.

Hawkins is often remembered for what could have been. Not only because he was unfairly prevented from competing in the NBA until later in his life, but also because injuries kept him from playing at his usual elite level.

In The Book of Basketball, author Bill Simmons ranks Hawkins 87th on his “Pyramid” of the best NBA players of all time. In addition to calling Hawkins a modern power forward who was a prototype for guys like Shawn Kemp and Kevin Garnett, Simmons wrote:

"

His freakishly large hands allowed him to palm basketballs like tennis balls; Hawkins waved the ball over his head and found cutters with laser passes, and when he drove to the basket, nobody stripped him because the ball was embedded in his giant paw.

"

I had the luxury of meeting Hawkins when I was younger. In addition to his “freakishly large hands,” he’s among the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.

His place in franchise history doesn’t measure up with Suns players who spent more time in Phoenix, but as a four-time All-Star and All-NBA First Team member, Hawkins truly was one of the NBA’s best at the height of his powers.

7. Amar'e Stoudemire

Suns Resume:

- NBA Rookie of the Year (2003)

- All-NBA First Team (2007)

- Three-time All-NBA Second Team (2005, 2008, 2010)

- Five-time NBA All-Star (2005, 2007-2010)

- NBA All-Rookie First Team (2003)

- Played first eight seasons for Phoenix (2003-2010)

Place in Franchise History:

- Tenth all time in games (516); eighth in minutes (17,686); sixth in field goals made (3,988); eighth in field goals attempted (7,337); third in free throws made (3,044); third in free throws attempted (4,018); third in offensive rebounds (1,378); third in defensive rebounds (3,235); third in total rebounds (4,613); fifth in blocks (722); sixth in points (11,035); seventh in field-goal percentage (54.3 percent); second in player efficiency rating (22.6); fifth in offensive win shares (47.2); sixth in defensive win shares (20.7); fifth in total win shares (67.9).

Best Season with Suns:

2009-10: 23.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.0 blocks, 55.7/16.7/77.1 shooting splits. (Named All-Star and All-NBA Second Team member; Suns lost Western Conference finals 4-2 to Los Angeles Lakers).

Breakdown

Very few Phoenix Suns players have as extensive a resume as Amar’e Stoudemire.

After winning Rookie of the Year in 2003, STAT made five All-Star teams, was an All-NBA Second Team member three times and an All-NBA First Team member once.

During his eight-year stay in Phoenix, the Suns only missed the playoffs twice. Once in 2004 prior to the arrival of Steve Nash, and again in 2009 when head coach Terry Porter attempted to focus the offense around an aged Shaquille O’Neal.

With Stoudemire in the mix, the Suns advanced to the Western Conference finals twice. They did so in 2005, and again in 2010 when Stoudemire and Nash embraced the addition-by-subtraction trade that sent O’Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Stoudemire was part of arguably the most competitive era of Suns basketball. He ranks fifth or better in franchise history in nine statistical categories.

Many fans criticize Stoudemire’s defense, making the argument that the Suns would have reached the NBA Finals if he had applied himself to get better on that end. Those criticisms are not unfair nor unjustified.

Perhaps more egregious than Stoudemire’s defense, though, was how he dealt with knee injuries.

Prior the 2005-06 season, Stoudemire “canceled several appointments for MRI scans” after experiencing knee pain, according to Jack McCallum’s book Seven Seconds or Less. McCallum also questioned STAT’s work ethic in the book, writing that Stoudemire was, “dogging it in rehab.”

In a 2011 article for Sports Illustrated, McCallum wrote that Stoudemire, “sometimes showed a spotty work ethic and a disinclination to be a supportive teammate.”

Could Stoudemire have taken his rehab more seriously? According to McCallum, the answer is yes.

Could Stoudemire have used his athletic ability to become a more complete defender? Absolutely.

With that said, Stoudemire was still one of best Suns players ever, and his presence led to a lot of success beside the maestro, Steve Nash.

6. Shawn Marion

Suns Resume:

- Two-time All-NBA Third Team (2005-2006)

- Four-time NBA All-Star (2003, 2005-2007)

- NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2000)

- Played more than eight seasons for Phoenix (2000-2008)

Place in Franchise History:

- Franchise leader in defensive rebounds (4,927) and total win shares (93.2).

- Sixth all time in games (660); second in minutes (24,948); third in field goals made (4,879); third in field goals attempted (10,136); fourth in three-point field goals made (652); third in three-point field goals attempted (1,905); 10th in free throws made (1,724); second in offensive rebounds (1,689); second in total rebounds (6,616); second in steals (1,245); third in blocks (894); fourth in points (12,134); fifth in player efficiency rating (20.9); eighth in defensive rating (99.3); fourth in offensive win shares (50.4); second in defensive win shares (42.8).

Best Season with Suns:

2005-06: 21.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.7 blocks, 52.5/33.1/80.9 shooting splits. (Named All-Star and All-NBA Third Team member; Suns lost in Western Conference finals 4-2 to Dallas Mavericks).

Breakdown

Shawn Marion is not only one of the most underrated Phoenix Suns players, but he’s also one of the most underrated players in the history of the NBA.

The Matrix never got the respect he deserved during his time in Phoenix. He was overshadowed by two-time MVP Steve Nash and the offensive dominance of Amar’e Stoudemire.

This is what Marion had to say about being the third-wheel, courtesy of the book Seven Seconds or Less by Jack McCallum:

"

Ever since I’ve been in Phoenix, I tried to make myself the face of the Suns on and off the court. That’s what it’s all about.

Around here, it’s Steve this and Amar’e that. What people forget is that I had to adjust my game to different people. I had J-Kidd. I had Steph (Stephon Marbury). Now I have Steve. All of them are different. I made the adjustments. You got to give me credit now. Don’t overlook that.

The other thing is, people judge players on points. And I think that’s wrong.

"

Did Marion have a point? In my opinion, yes he did.

Was his stance often rooted in personal needs to be appreciated rather than what his team as a whole had accomplished? There’s certainly some truth to that as well.

You may think that Marion had a right to feel disrespected. On the other hand, perhaps he should have set his ego aside for the greater good of winning a championship. Regardless of your stance, Marion’s contributions to the Phoenix Suns franchise are severely underrated.

Despite his tremendous two-way play, Marion only made the All-NBA Third Team twice and never made an NBA All-Defensive Team (which is an absolute joke).

In addition to scoring and rebounding, the UNLV product was responsible for guarding the opposing team’s best player on a nightly basis. He averaged at least two steals and at least 1.2 blocks for six straight seasons, and his defensive rating was never higher than 102 (even on the Run-N-Gun Suns teams that were well below average defensively).

But the most telling stat of all is that he is the franchise leader with 93.2 total win shares. The total he accumulated in a Suns uniform means he contributed to more wins (offensively and defensively) than any other Suns player in the history of the franchise.

He may not have the same accolades as other players on the list, but that shouldn’t hinder him in the grand scheme of things.

5. Walter Davis

Suns Resume:

- NBA Rookie of the Year (1978)

- Two-time All-NBA Second Team (1978-1979)

- Six-time NBA All-Star (1978-1981, 1984, 1987)

- Ring of Honor member

- Played first 11 NBA seasons for Phoenix (1978-1988)

Place in Franchise History:

- Franchise leader in points (15,666), field goals made (6,497) and field goals attempted (12,497).

- Second all time in games (766); fifth in minutes (23,143); fourth in free throws made (2,557); fifth in free throws attempted (3,039); ninth in offensive rebounds (711); fourth in assists (3,340); third in steals (1,040); fifth in free-throw percentage (84.1 percent); ninth in player efficiency rating (19.6); sixth in offensive win shares (43); third in defensive win shares (23.4); sixth in total win shares (66.4).

Best Season with Suns:

1978-79: 23.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.3 blocks, 56.1 percent field-goal shooting, 83.1 percent free-throw shooting. (Named All-Star and All-NBA Second Team member; Suns lost in Western Conference finals 4-3 to Seattle SuperSonics).

Breakdown

Walter Davis, otherwise known as “Sweet D,” “The Greyhound,” “The Candyman” and “The Man with the Velvet Touch,” had almost as many nicknames as he had points scored in a Phoenix Suns uniform. Okay, I’m exaggerating, but you get the idea.

Davis is the Suns all-time leader in scoring, having netted 15,666 points for the franchise that drafted him fifth overall in the 1977 NBA draft.

"Sweet D" won Rookie of the Year for the 1977-78 season and played the first 11 years of his NBA career with the Phoenix Suns. During that span, he was named an All-Star six times and an All-NBA Second Team selection twice.

"The Greyhound" was a terrific volume scorer. He averaged 20 points or more in six separate seasons for Phoenix. Davis was also tremendously efficient at putting the ball in the hoop, as he eclipsed 50 percent field-goal shooting in eight of his 11 seasons with the Suns.

With Davis on the roster, the Suns made the playoffs in his first eight seasons. In that time, Phoenix made the Western Conference finals twice (once when Davis was the best player).

The team success he experienced, as well as his standing as the franchise leader in points scored, rockets him up the all-time list. However, even the Suns legend couldn’t avoid some negative publicity.

In 1987, Davis was given immunity from prosecution for testifying about the illegal drug use of other Suns players, according to an article by Chris Baker of the Los Angeles Times. According to the same article, Davis had twice entered rehab clinics to deal with cocaine addiction and alcohol abuse.

Baker wrote, “Davis is the central figure in the drug scandal that led to the indictment of three current and two former Suns.”

At the time, Suns general manager Jerry Colangelo said, “(Davis) didn’t commit murder and he hasn’t been indicted or charged with anything. But I’m very concerned about Walter Davis as a human being. Right now he’s in rehab and we’ll deal with this one day at a time.”

The drug scandal strained Davis’s relationship with the franchise and tarnished the Suns' image in the eyes of the fanbase.

Nevertheless, Davis and the Suns were able to restore their relationship years later. In 1994, his No. 6 jersey was retired, and in 2004 he was enshrined in the Ring of Honor.

4. Kevin Johnson

Suns Resume:

- Four-time All-NBA Second Team (1989-1991, 1994)

- All-NBA Third Team (1992)

- Three-time NBA All-Star (1990-1991, 1994)

- NBA Most Improved Player (1989)

- Ring of Honor member

- Played more than 10 full seasons for Phoenix (1988-1998, 2000)

Place in Franchise History:

- Franchise leader in free throws made (3,851) and free throws attempted (4,579).

- Fifth all time in games (683); fourth in minutes (24,018); fourth in field goals made (4,369); fifth in field goals attempted (8,849); 10th in defensive rebounds (1,855); second in assists (6,518); fourth in steals (1,022); third in points (12,747); seventh in free-throw percentage (84.1 percent); fourth in player efficiency rating (21); second in offensive rating (118.5); second in offensive win shares (69.8); fifth in defensive win shares (21.1); second in total win shares (90.9).

Best Season with Suns:

1990-91: 22.5 points, 11.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 0.2 blocks, 49.9/19.5/83.8 shooting splits. (Named All-Star and All-NBA Second Team member; Suns lost in Western Conference finals 4-2 to Portland Trail Blazers).

Breakdown

While comprising the top-15 players in Phoenix Suns history, nobody bounced around more than Kevin Johnson. He was as low as No. 6 and cemented himself at No. 5 for a long time, but ultimately I feel confident locking him at No. 4 on the all-time list.

Off the cuff, many diehard Suns fans would put KJ in their top three without thinking twice. He made the All-NBA Second Team four times and the All-NBA Third Team once. He averaged at least 20 points and 10 assists in three seasons for the Suns and was one of the most explosively athletic point guards the game had ever seen.

His stats and accolades show just how great of an athlete he was, but there’s a big reason why he doesn't crack the top three.

In the 1993 NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls, KJ choked.

As Bill Simmons writes in The Book of Basketball:

"

He helped blow the ’93 Finals by choking so memorably during Phoenix’s first two home games, Suns coach Paul Westphal actually had to bench him for Frankie Johnson in crunch time at the end of Game 2. By the time KJ pulled it together in Game 3, the Suns had squandered their home-court advantage and had no realistic chance of coming back—nobody was beating MJ in four out of five games during Jordan’s apex.

"

For reference, here are Johnson’s stats from Games 1 and 2 of the 1993 finals:

Game 1: 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting (30.8 percent), two rebounds, two assists, five turnovers.

Game 2: Four points on 2-of-8 shooting (25 percent), zero rebounds, six assists, four turnovers, fouled out.

So although Johnson was a major reason why the Suns made the finals in the first place, his failure to play anywhere close to his usual standards ensured that the Suns wouldn’t beat the Bulls. Dropping two home games to open the finals was equivalent to the team digging its own grave.

Like Walter Davis, though, Johnson helped lead Phoenix to the Western Conference finals in just his second season as a Sun (1988-89). Alongside a tremendous postseason performance from Tom Chambers, KJ averaged 23.8 points, 12.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals during the playoff run.

The Suns swept the Denver Nuggets 3-0 in Round 1, and then dispatched the Golden State Warriors 4-1 in the Western Conference semifinals.

In the Western Conference finals, Phoenix was ousted by the Los Angeles Lakers in a four-game sweep.

For reference, the starting five of that '89 Lakers team was: Magic Johnson, Byron Scott, James Worthy, A.C. Green and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It was certainly a David versus Goliath matchup even though Kareem was in his final season at 41 years old.

KJ is fondly remembered in Suns lore for being a courageous competitor who fearlessly attacked the basket—evidenced by his franchise-leading free throw attempts and makes.

But Johnson’s reckless style of play had its negatives. He missed 15 or more games in five of his 11 seasons. Let’s just say he wasn’t exactly durable.

Johnson is a Ring of Honor member and one of the best Suns ever to lace up the sneakers. However, his injury history and costly choke job in the ’93 finals leave a stain on his otherwise sterling resume.

3. Paul Westphal

Suns Resume:

- Three-time All-NBA First Team (1977, 1979-1980)

- All-NBA Second Team (1978)

- Four-time NBA All-Star (1977-1980)

- Ring of Honor member

- Played six seasons for Phoenix (1976-1980, 1984)

Place in Franchise History:

- Eighth all time in field goals made (3,785); seventh in field goals attempted (7,340); sixth in free throws made (1,961); sixth in free throws attempted (2,356); seventh in assists (2,429); sixth in steals (753); eighth in points (9,564); third in player efficiency rating (21.3); seventh in offensive win shares (37); 10th in total win shares (51.5).

Best Season with Suns:

1978-79: 24.0 points, 6.5 assists, 2.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 0.3 blocks, 53.5 percent field-goal shooting, 83.7 percent free-throw shooting. (Named All-NBA First Team member and All-Star; Suns lost Western Conference finals 4-3 to Seattle SuperSonics).

Breakdown

It may be surprising to see Paul Westphal as high as No. 3 on the all-time list, but many fans don’t know or remember just how good he was as a member of the Phoenix Suns.

During his first season with the Suns in 1975-76 (after the Boston Celtics traded him to Phoenix for Charlie Scott), the 25-year-old Westphal played all 82 regular-season games while averaging 20.5 points, 5.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game.

He was the alpha dog who led Phoenix to the 1976 NBA Finals, and he elevated his game when he got there. From The Book of Basketball, Bill Simmons writes:

"

Westphal would have been just another forgotten great player if not for a heroic performance in the triple-OT game—a game that lives on forever on ESPN Classic and NBA TV—when he single-handedly saved the Suns more than once with a superhuman performance (crazy steals, ludicrous reverses for three-point plays and his trademark 360 banker, when he drove left at breakneck speed, planted about 8 feet from the basket, then did a 360-degree twirl and banked it home as his incredulous defender was twisted in nine different directions).

"

The Suns eventually lost the triple-overtime game and the series against the Boston Celtics, but Westphal was the team’s best player who got them there and kept them competitive.

After being snubbed from the All-NBA teams that season, Westphal was named to the All-NBA First Team three times (1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80) and the All-NBA Second Team once (1977-78). He was a top-10 (arguably top-five) NBA player for four straight seasons. You could extend that to five straight seasons if you include 1975-76 when he put up nearly identical numbers and took Phoenix to the NBA Finals.

He’s ranked sixth, seventh or eighth in a variety of all-time franchise categories, took Phoenix to its first NBA Finals appearance and was named to the All-NBA First Team three times as a member of the Suns.

For whatever reason, he’s one of the forgotten greats. He may not have the same nostalgic feel as Kevin Johnson or Dan Majerle, but his resume speaks for itself in terms of being one of the best Suns players.

And although this list aims to focus solely on each guy’s playing career, Westphal led the Suns to their second NBA Finals as a coach. So he had a major hand in the two most successful years in Suns history.

2. Charles Barkley

Suns Resume:

- NBA MVP (1993)

- All-NBA First Team (1993)

- Two-time All-NBA Second Team (1994, 1995)

- All-NBA Third Team (1996)

- Four-time NBA All-Star (1993-1996)

- Ring of Honor member

- Played four seasons with Phoenix (1993-1996)

Place in Franchise History:

- Franchise leader in player efficiency rating (24.7).

- Seventh all time in total rebounds (3,232); seventh in offensive rebounds (881); fifth in defensive rebounds (2,351); sixth in offensive rating (117).

Best Season with Suns:

1992-93: 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.0 blocks, 52/30.5/76.5 shooting splits. (Won MVP award, named All-NBA First Team member and All-Star; Suns lost in NBA Finals 4-2 to Chicago Bulls).

Breakdown

Charles Barkley’s stint in the Valley of the Sun may have been brief, but the impact he made during a short period speaks volumes about the type of player he was.

Despite playing only four seasons for the Phoenix Suns, Barkley ranks seventh all-time in franchise history with 3,232 total rebounds.

"The Round Mound of Rebound" was named an All-Star, All-NBA First Team member and won the league’s Most Valuable Player award in his first season for Phoenix. The individual accolades were great, but team success was just as impressive.

Barkley’s Suns reached the 1993 NBA Finals with a miraculous playoff run. In the first round, the Suns came back from 0-2 down against the Los Angeles Lakers to take the five-game series 3-2.

According to an article by The Seattle Times, head coach Paul Westphal said the following at the time:

"

So we’re down 0-2, and I suppose the next question is: ‘Are the Suns dead?’

No. We’re going to win this series. We’ll win Tuesday night, and then we play again Thursday. We’ll win that one and then come back here and win, and everyone will say what a great series it was.

"

So add “oracle” to Westphal’s resume.

The Suns continued forward to beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-2 and the Seattle SuperSonics 4-3.

Barkley led the way in the playoffs, averaging 26.6 points, 13.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He wasn’t able to outperform Michael Jordan in the finals, but he was still the alpha dog on what is arguably the best Suns team of all time.

1. Steve Nash

Suns Resume:

- Two-time NBA MVP (2005, 2006)

- Three-time All-NBA First Team (2005-2007)

- Two-time All-NBA Second Team (2008, 2010)

- Six-time NBA All-Star (2005-2008, 2010, 2012)

- Five-time NBA assists leader (2005-2007, 2010-2011)

- Played 10 career seasons with Phoenix (1997-1998, 2005-2012)

Place in Franchise History:

- Franchise leader in assists (6,997), three-point field goals made (1,051), three-point field goals attempted (2,417), three-point field goal percentage (43.5 percent), free-throw percentage (90.7 percent), offensive rating (119.6) and offensive win shares (71.5).

- Third all time in games (744); sixth in minutes (22,781); ninth in free throws made (1,789); 10th in steals (511); seventh in points (10,712); third in total win shares (82.7).

Best Season with Suns:

2005-06: 18.8 points, 10.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 0.2 blocks, 51.2/43.9/92.1 shooting splits. (Won second MVP award; Suns lost in Western Conference finals 4-2 to Dallas Mavericks).

Breakdown

Steve Nash is the obvious choice for No. 1 on the list of best Phoenix Suns players.

A case could be made for Charles Barkley, who won an MVP and took the Suns to the NBA Finals, but Nash played more than twice as many seasons in Phoenix and trumped his MVP count.

"The Nash Rambler" won back-to-back MVP awards from 2005-2006 and was the maestro who orchestrated the most exciting brand of basketball the NBA had seen in a long time with the Run-N-Gun Suns. (Sidenote: “The Nash Rambler” is one of his most underrated nicknames. Al McCoy is a god when it comes to this stuff.)

Nash should have won another MVP for the 2006-07 season when he averaged 18.6 points and a career high 11.6 assists per game, while shooting a career high 53.2 percent from the field. He led the Suns to 61 wins and was statistically better in field-goal percentage, three-point percentage and assists when compared with the MVP year before.

Instead, Dirk Nowitzki won MVP, and the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors ousted his Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs.

Nash is the franchise leader in assists, every three-point shooting category, free-throw percentage, offensive rating and offensive win shares.

Not only did he make the Suns relevant again in the Western Conference, but he also made the team joyously fun to watch.

The former Santa Clara standout made all of his teammates better (cashing them some nice paychecks in the process) and was a proven leader on and off the court.

It’s depressing and downright abnormal that he’ll finish his career chasing a championship ring with the rival Los Angeles Lakers. However, Steve’s contributions to the franchise when he was around are second to none.

It’s only a matter of time before he becomes the 14th member of the Suns Ring of Honor.