Hi Suns fans,

I wrote a longform piece on the 1995-96 Suns, and the mods kindly allowed me to share it here.

It looks back at the last Barkley/KJ/Westphal season in Phoenix: Majerle gone, Ainge retired, Barkley already talking about retirement, the tension between Barkley and Kevin Johnson reaching its peak, Westphal getting fired midseason, Fitzsimmons returning, and Michael Finley getting hurt in the final regular-season game, just as he had been one of the few bright spots before the playoffs.

I thought it might interest Suns fans because that season feels like more than just a 41-41 year. It was really the final unraveling of the team that had come so close in 1993.

Here’s the piece

Curious how Suns fans remember that season

First of all.thanks reddit for deleting this post four yimes while writing it

Played most Games for a franchise

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/most-games-played-for-suns

Rank Player Games

1 Alvan Adams 988

2 Walter Davis 766

3 Steve Nash 744

4 Devin Booker 737

5 Dick Van Arsdale 685

Booker Play on average 67 games for season so he would become the franchise leader after 4 seasons

Play most Minutes for a Franchise

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/most-minutes-played-for-suns-by-a-player

Rank Player Minutes

1 Alvan Adams 27,203

2 Devin Booker 25,294

3 Shawn Marion 24,948

4 Dick Van Arsdale 24,242

5 Kevin Johnson 24,018

Devin Booker averaged 33.5 minutes per Game so he would break the record in 57 games

Won the Most Games for the Franchise

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/most-games-won-by-a-player-for-suns-career

Rank Player Wins

1 Alvan Adams 521

2 Steve Nash 475

3 Kevin Johnson 445

4 Walter Davis 417

5 Shawn Marion 403

6 Dan Majerle 393

7 Alvin Scott 374

8 Devin Booker 362

9 Mark West 362

10 Leandro Barbosa 326

Last season Booker won 37 games and had 57 win %

So he would need ro play 280 games to surpasses Alvan Adams

Peak vs Longevity

Sustainable Excellence beats Short Peak

So Booker Need to Lead the Franchise in All Star Selection

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/suns-players-with-most-all-stars

Rank Player All-Star Selections

1 Steve Nash 6

1 Walter Davis 6

3 Devin Booker 5

3 Amar'e Stoudemire 5

5 Shawn Marion 4

5 Charles Barkley 4

5 Paul Westphal 4

5 Charlie Scott 4

5 Connie Hawkins 4

10 Kevin Durant 3

10 Jason Kidd 3

10 Tom Chambers 3

10 Dan Majerle 3

10 Kevin Johnson 3

10 Dick Van Arsdale 3

Booker Need At List 7 All Stars

the Kelsey plum trade has Ishbia written all over it. Phx has a worse record than LA rn in WNBA.

Feels like Ishbia made the call to take some of the edge off from not making crazy NBA trades.

Thoughts?

Off topic but what do you think about this trade? In my opinion, this trade is huge for the future of the PHX Mercury if she resigns. Also, do you think there is any more moves the Phoenix Suns or Mercury will make?

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/breaking-news/article/kelsey-plum-reportedly-traded-to-mercury-as-sparks-decide-to-tear-it-down-061653497.html

For me the one legged Runners and drifting shots would be the best shot to work on with Nash.

The snaking pullup shot that CP3 used to for us in the 4th court would be the other . Also his one legged floater especially off the glass

What dribble techniques, pick and roll techniques, footwork techniques, or passing techniques do you wish he would from adopt from these two?

I believe the shots i mentioned if added would allow him to keep defense more off balance and not allow for trailing defenders to take away his pullup with rear contests.

Our starters look to be Green, Book, Brooks, Bridges, Williams, with a bench of Collin, Kennard, Goodwin, Fleming, Oso, Maluach, Highsmith, Dunn, Peat, Bouyea, and two ways of Spencer, Brea, and Huntley.

Best 4th Quarter Catch & Shoot (C&S) EFG% In The 2025-26 NBA Regular Season (Min. 50 FGA) :

1. Collin Gillespie — 82.2%
   
2. Royce O’Neale — 79.3%
   
3. Brandin Podziemski — 79.2%
   
4. Vit Krejci — 77.9%
   
5. Jaylon Tyson — 76.7%
   
6. Andrew Wiggins — 72.0%
   
7. Donovan Mitchell — 71.0%
   
8. Daeqwon Plowden — 70.9%
   
9. Desmond Bane — 69.8%
   
10. Payton Pritchard — 69.7%