The Phoenix Suns had one of the worst records in the NBA in the 2012-2013 season. How bad? They were the worst team in the Western Conference with just 25 wins and fourth-worst in the entire league. For their efforts, they were rewarded the fifth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft where they nabbed 7-foot-1 center from Maryland, Alex Len.

Len will not be the Phoenix savior this year and neither will offseason acquisition Eric Bledsoe nor new head coach Jeff Hornacek will play that role, but all three are pegged to be in the Suns' plans moving forward. However, with a looming top-heavy 2014 NBA Draft, the Suns can choose to tank like last year and add more young talents via the draft.

2013-14 Phoenix Suns Projected Depth Chart

PG - Goran Dragic/Kendall Marshall/Ish Smith/Malcolm Lee
SG - Eric Bledsoe/Shannon Brown/Archie Goodwin
SF - Gerald Green/P.J. Tucker
PF -Marcus Morris/Markieff Morris/Channing Frye
C - Marcin Gortat/Alex Len/Miles Plumlee/Viacheslav Kravtsov

3 Reasons Why the Suns are Fun

1. Smallball/Fastball – When the Suns acquired Eric Bledsoe in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, the question in everybody’s mind was how the acquisition will affect the game of starting point guard Goran Dragic. Will the latter be traded? Early pre-season games saw Hornacek with both players in the starting line-up—a sign that the Suns are willing to go with a smallish backcourt since these are their two best guards in the line-up.

A Dragic-Bledsoe combo can be dangerous on offense but will mightily struggle on the other end. However, that’s a trade-off the Suns are willing to take since they want to expose one or both and maybe deal one of them midseason.

2. Big Prospect, Big Value – Marcin Gortat and Alex Len will probably not see time on the floor together— similar to their backcourt situation. But what the Suns will do is try to expose both to considerable playing time but for different purposes. Playing Gortat 24 minutes a night will show other teams that he still has mid-to-high value (assuming he gets the same numbers last year) and playing Len 24 minutes a night will help the individual development of their young stud that will man the center spot when Gortat is gone.

3. Morris-Morris Twins! – That’s 12 Morris fouls from the power forward spot! Maybe they could even switch jerseys in the crucial part of the game…

The Verdict

Fearless Forecast: 22 wins. Yes, they’d do even worse from last year and that’s all by design. They’ll trade Gortat midseason (probably for a pick and a prospect) and Dragic will follow suit if they get the right value. All-Bledsoe after those trades and the Suns are doomed… Just as they’ve planned.

Other 2013-2014 NBA Teams Previews:

Phoenix Suns | Cleveland Cavaliers | Washington Wizards | Charlotte Bobcats | Philadelphia 76ers | Orlando Magic | Dallas Mavericks | Los Angeles Lakers | Chicago Bulls | Brooklyn Nets | Houston Rockets