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#3 Chris Paul is a game-changing leader
Returning to James Jones' trade to put Chris Paul on the Phoenix Suns' roster, there's no denying that the point guard's influence on the team was definitely noticeable, even if he was not the best player on the squad.
In his 16th NBA season, Paul had already been underestimated in the previous year, when he led the OKC Thunder to the NBA Playoffs with a great regular season.
His impact for the Phoenix Suns this year was not as underestimated, but the team went further than many thought with him. With Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton around him, Paul led the team throughout a great regular season and a great run in the postseason.
Paul averaged 16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game in the regular season. He then averaged 19.2 points and 8.6 assists per game, with 49/44/87 shooting splits in 20 postseason games.
Whether he stays with the Phoenix Suns or not, Paul was great in his first year with the franchise.
#2 Devin Booker is elite
Devin Booker's first five campaigns in the NBA were filled with great displays of offensive talent, but he was unable to overcome the Phoenix Suns' struggles as a team.
Now, with Chris Paul aboard, Booker and the Phoenix Suns were expected to battle for a postseason spot in the 2020-21 NBA season, but they exceeded those expectations.
Booker averaged 25.6 points, four rebounds and four assists in the NBA regular season and then performed at an extraordinary level in his first postseason appearance.
Booker put up 27 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in the NBA Playoffs with a 45/32/90 shooting split. In the 2021 NBA Finals, Booker had two 40-point outings and averaged 28.2 points per game and made 45.5% of his shots, despite losing and having a couple of rough nights.
#1 The Phoenix Suns' future looks bright
Overall, the 2020-21 NBA season was a success for the Phoenix Suns, even though it is easy to pay more attention to what was missed and not what was achieved throughout such a long journey.
With Devin Booker and big man Deandre Ayton probably linked to the franchise for years to come, the Phoenix Suns might have a great one-two punch for years to come as Ayton continues to evolve as a big man (possibly a 20-point, 10-rebounds machine) and Booker's scoring remains effective.
Moreover, young players like Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges are a big part of the Phoenix Suns' system and they should evolve and become better players year by year.
Despite missing out on the 2021 NBA championship, the Phoenix Suns might have some more chances in the future, especially if Chris Paul stays. However, the road will only get tougher and they will be unable to sneak up on anybody now.
Also read: 3 bold predictions for the Phoenix Suns
