The Phoenix Suns were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder. But despite the disappointing end, the 2025-26 campaign may have been the franchise's biggest success in years. ## What happened?
The Suns ended the 2024-25 campaign 11th in the West, exceeding ESPN's preseason prediction of 32 wins. The team's youth and inexperience were viewed as a major weakness heading into the season. However, Phoenix quickly proved those doubts wrong, becoming one of the NBA's toughest teams to beat.
Why it matters for Phoenix Suns
Dillon Brooks, Jordan Goodwin, Royce O'Neil, and Colin Gillespie all notched career-best seasons. Devin Booker played an All-Star season, and rookies Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming showed flashes of greatness. Jalen Green showed an upward trend in consistency through his 32 regular-season games. The Suns won 45 games this season, nine more than the previous year and 14 more than ESPN's preseason prediction.
What comes next?
The Phoenix Suns have found a group of young players with a lot of potential. Mark Williams proved to be a great fit in the Suns' starting lineup, and Brooks brought an intensity and toughness to each game. The team's recent form has been | Date | Result | | --- | --- | | 2025-04-01 | Milwaukee Bucks 133-123 Phoenix Suns | | - | 1W-0D-1L (LW, most recent first) | Phoenix Suns owner Matt Ishbia said, 'Overall, if I look at this basketball season and the organization in the last 12 months, I'm really proud of what we've done and accomplished.' The Suns may have exited the playoffs early, but for the first time in years, Phoenix leaves the season with a clear direction and a reason to believe in its future. And with the young talent on the team, the future looks bright for the Phoenix Suns.