What the annual anonymous players’ poll says about the Suns’ organization

How did the Phoenix Suns fare in The Athletic’s annual poll?

Every year, The Athletic conducts an anonymous poll of NBA players, offering rare insight into how those inside the game truly view the league they help shape. The questions range from thought-provoking to playful. From debating the idea of 10-minute quarters or a shorter season to highlighting which players are criminally underrated, and revealing who their peers believe is the true MVP, it’s an annual pulse check, a chance to peek behind the curtain and see how the league is perceived not by fans or media, but by the very people who live it every night.

The Phoenix Suns made their mark in the annual NBA player poll, with some notable representation in various categories. Let’s start with the question of the most overrated player in the league. Tying for fourth place with 4.4% of the vote was none other than the $50 million man himself, Bradley Beal.

This isn’t exactly shocking. Of course, the term “overrated” is subjective, but when it comes to price for value paid, Bradley Beal stands out as highly overrated for what he’s compensated to do. The third man on a team who plays in only 65% of the games? That’s not exactly the type of player you’d expect to be living up to a $50+ million contract.

Now, let’s shift focus to the best and worst organizations in the NBA. From a Phoenix Suns fan’s perspective, the franchise looks like a mess. Overpriced players, underperforming expectations, and a future that’s uncertain. Things are certainly not looking great in Phoenix.

However, the perception of the Suns’ organization isn’t entirely negative, especially when you look outside of their immediate fan base. Suns’ owner Mat Ishbia is known for taking chances and investing in his team. He’s willing to pay players and improve the experience, not just for the fans, but for the players as well.

Despite the challenges and relative lack of success, Ishbia has cultivated an environment where players want to play. The Suns may not have received the highest marks, but they did manage to tie for 11th-best organization according to the 137 votes cast.

Granted, 1.5% of 137 is 2 votes, so it’s not saying much. More importantly, they didn’t make an appearance on the list of the worst organizations. That’s something worth noting.

This is a pivotal point for the Suns moving forward, especially when considering their future in attracting free agents as they potentially retool the roster. Regardless of the path they take, acquiring top-tier talent in free agency will be crucial. Having a positive perception around the league is undoubtedly a key factor in making Phoenix an attractive destination for players.

Then there’s the Mike Budenholzer situation.

Clearly, it didn’t work out between him and the Suns. As leaks and details continue to surface, we’re getting more insight into the reasons behind his departure. We already knew about the strained relationship with Jusuf Nurkic, his request for Bradley Beal to take on a role akin to Jrue Holiday (which Beal did not take kindly to), his attempts to mute Devin Booker’s influence, and his frustration with Bol Bol during a heated exchange, which ultimately resulted in Bol’s reduced role.

I wouldn’t necessarily label Budenholzer’s actions as “petty,” but let’s be honest. It’s hard to ignore that this was the sentiment shared across the league. And to add to that, Mike Budenholzer was voted the second-worst head coach in the league. That kind of feedback is hard to overlook.

The Suns have wisely begun the search for a new head coach, and as time progresses, the hope is that their reputation as one of the better organizations in the league will serve them well in this process. Looking ahead, there’s also the possibility of moving on from one of the most overrated players in the league, Bradley Beal, during the upcoming offseason.

What do you think of the polling? Did the players get it right?

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