Phoenix Suns: Weighing Pros and Cons of Keeping Team Intact or Blowing It Up

As expected following the lengthy NBA lockout that bled nearly two months into the regular season, the Phoenix Suns are off to a slow start and fading fast in the Western Conference standings.

So now it's time to ask the question that's on everyone's mind: Should the Suns keep their veteran core together in attempt to make an improbable run at the playoffs, or should they blow the roster up and start over?

The answer is a complicated one, but one that can easily be weighed. There are pros and cons to both potential directions, some more convincing than others.

The Suns' championship window has no doubt closed and an awkward retooling stage has become the result of close to a decade of poor front office and ownership moves.

Join Bleacher Report as we take a closer look at what the Suns have to lose and gain.

Winnable Pacific Division

Not only is it too early to count the Suns out of the playoffs, but the Pacific Division is down this season. 

Every team in the division is flirting with .500 and four out of the five squads sport negative scoring differentials; the L.A. Lakers are the only team in the plus. 

Through five games the Suns boast the second-best differential in the division, and a new-look Lakers team means a winnable Pacific Division in 2011-12. 

All the more reason for Phoenix to keep things intact and take another shot at winning now. 

Better Draft Pick

The one guaranteed benefit of blowing up the roster before the trade deadline this March is moving up in the draft lottery.

Phoenix has had a ping-pong ball in the mix two out of the past three seasons, and rookie Markieff Morris is all they have to show for it, since they traded 2009 first-round pick Earl Clark to Orlando in December 2010.

A roster with less talent equals less wins and a greater shot at a top five pick in next June's 2012 NBA Draft.

Kentucky's Anthony Davis, Baylor's Perry Jones and Connecticut's Andre Drummond are a few of the big names expected to be available early. 

Keep Fan Interest

Another pro of keeping the current squad together this season is keeping fan interest alive. 

Although the die-hard fans will always remain, many of the Suns' casual supporters have disappeared in recent years and will likely lose interest completely if Phoenix decides to sacrifice being competitive now for future success.

The plus of not trading Steve Nash is the presence of a superstar in the desert, which keeps the Suns relevant no matter their struggles.

Getting Talent in Return for Aging Stars

Although shipping Steve Nash or Grant Hill away in exchange for young potential and cap room would hurt outside interest in the Suns, Phoenix would acquire legitimate talent considering both stars are both still playing at a high level.

Hill is closing in on 40 years-old and Nash will be 38 a month before the trade deadline. If the Suns are to dictate who they receive in a trade, they must act soon.

Motivating Long-Term Suns

The future of veterans Steve Nash and Grant Hill is uncertain at this point in time, but emerging talents with multi-year contracts still need something to play for. 

Young guys like Marcin Gortat, Jared Dudley, Channing Frye and now Markieff Morris make up the future of Phoenix Suns basketball, and their development and production depends heavily on the direction the franchise takes this season.

If the Suns are still shooting for the playoffs at mid-season, expect to see more effort and hustle on the court. 

Signing a Superstar in Summer 2012

If the Suns decide it's time for a change and let their expiring contracts walk at season's end, they will only have $30.7 million on the books for the 2012-13 season, giving them a shot at offering several lucrative deals to the superstar free agents expected to hit the market this summer.

Dwight Howard and Deron Williams are arguably the two biggest names out there right now, and if neither is traded by their current team, Phoenix could very well be in play.

The Suns could not only offer a max deal to a guy like Williams, but the opportunity to play under an offensive-mind in Alvin Gentry in a city that's warm and sunny year-round.

Not to mention Phoenix's medical staff is one of the best in the league, an underrated fact players around the league are no doubt aware of.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter @PatClarke