NBA franchise story

Phoenix Suns

Phoenix has produced some of the league's most memorable teams without securing the final win: the 1976 underdogs, Barkley's finalists, Nash's pace revolution and Booker's new contender.

Every era · The defining players · Five essential games

The franchise timeline

Every era of the Phoenix Suns.

Move through the franchise chronologically. The jerseys identify each chapter’s central cast, and every curated card opens the complete story of that era.

Historical reference: Phoenix Suns official team history ↗

The beginning

Franchise era

1968–69—1975–76

Connie Hawkins

Paul Westphal

Alvan Adams

The Sunderella run

Expansion to the 1976 Finals

Phoenix grew from expansion team into an improbable finalist, pushing Boston through one of the greatest Finals games ever.

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Chapter 01

1968–69—1975–76

Franchise era

1976–77—1987–88

Walter Davis

Paul Westphal

Larry Nance

Westphal and Davis keep Phoenix competitive

A steady Western presence

The Suns remained a frequent playoff team behind fluid offense before off-court turmoil forced a broad reset.

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Chapter 02

1976–77—1987–88

Franchise era

1988–89—1995–96

Charles Barkley

Kevin Johnson

Dan Majerle

An MVP completes a fearless contender

Barkley and the 1993 Finals

A revitalized roster became elite before Barkley's arrival; his MVP season then carried Phoenix to 62 wins and the Finals.

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Chapter 03

1988–89—1995–96

Franchise era

1996–97—2003–04

Jason Kidd

Penny Hardaway

Amar'e Stoudemire

Kidd, Hardaway and a teenage Stoudemire

The bridge to Seven Seconds

Phoenix remained competitive through changing backcourts and drafted the explosive big man who would define its next style.

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Chapter 04

1996–97—2003–04

Franchise era

2004–05—2009–10

Steve Nash

Amar'e Stoudemire

Shawn Marion

Nash makes pace and spacing the future

Seven Seconds or Less

Nash's return unlocked a revolutionary offense and three conference-finals trips, influencing a generation without reaching the Finals.

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Chapter 05

2004–05—2009–10

Franchise era

2010–11—2019–20

Devin Booker

Goran Dragić

Eric Bledsoe

Booker emerges through instability

The long rebuild

Phoenix spent a decade outside the playoffs while Booker developed from late-lottery scorer into its next franchise star.

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Chapter 06

2010–11—2019–20

Franchise era

2020–21—present

Devin Booker

Chris Paul

Kevin Durant

The Finals return and an all-in second act

Booker's contender

Paul helped Booker lead a Finals run and a 64-win season before Phoenix exchanged depth and draft capital for another superstar swing.

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Chapter 07

2020–21—present

Present day

The essential watchlist

Five Phoenix Suns games to start with.

Curated from the franchise’s defining eras, championship stakes and the games that still carry its story.

#01 · Western Conference Finals

Western ConferenceFinals

Clippers vs Suns

Jun 28, 2021

#02 · NBA Finals

Celtics vs Suns

Jun 4, 1976

#03 · NBA Finals

Bulls vs Suns

Jun 20, 1993

#04 · Conference Semifinals

Conference Semifinals

Rockets vs Suns

May 21, 1994

#05 · First Round

Lakers vs Suns

Apr 30, 2006

Season history

Past seasons

58 seasons · newest first

Game archive

Phoenix Suns games

5,017 total · loaded 10 at a time