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NBA: Previewing the Pacific Division

By Tj Porreca

Apr 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) smiles as he addresses the crowd after the Lakers defeat of the Utah Jazz in the final game of his career at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) smiles as he addresses the crowd after the Lakers defeat of the Utah Jazz in the final game of his career at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Phoenix Suns

Jan 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Phoenix Suns center Tyson Chandler (4) reacts at the foul line during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Phoenix Suns center Tyson Chandler (4) reacts at the foul line during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

The Phoenix Suns are led by one of the top young coaches in the NBA, Earl Watson. They also have a mix of young talent and veteran talent in the Arizona desert. It will be interesting to see how Phoenix bounces back from a disappointing 23-59 2015-16 season.

The Suns have a few key veterans which they will continue to rely on, Tyson Chandler and Eric Bledsoe. Other veterans on the roster include Jared Dudley and Leandro Barbosa, who began his NBA career in Phoenix.

To go along with a few experienced veterans, the Suns have tried to build a core of the future through the NBA draft. Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis, Dragan Bender, and Marquese Chriss are among the young players Phoenix added through the draft.

As it pertains to the 2016-17 season, this will likely be a building year for Phoenix. The Suns are a few years away, but once their young players gain enough experience, they could make some noise.

That’s not to say that Phoenix doesn’t have the potential to be interesting, though. Bledsoe and Chandler are both quality NBA players. Barbosa proved to be a key asset on Golden State’s bench over the past two seasons. Booker is an emerging young player, and a lot of Suns fans are excited to see Bender as well.

The Suns may not headline the division, but they should fare better than they did in 2015-16.

Next: Los Angeles Clippers