Analysis of the career contributions and achievements of the Suns seven heroes in the past 30 years

In the vast starry sky of the NBA, the Phoenix Suns are always a star emitting a unique light. Since the 1990s, this team in the desert has written legends of glory and regret with its never-ending offensive flames and unique defending traditions. From Kevin Johnson's violent aesthetics to Devin Booker's scoring frenzy, seven stars - Johnson, Kidd, Nash, Marbury, Bledsoe, Paul and Booker - use their talents and sweat to outline the development context and glory of the Suns for thirty years.

1. Beginning: Kevin Johnson (1988-1998, 2000)

As the banner of the Sun's 1990s, KJ is the founder of the solar point guard tradition. He was selected into the All-Star three times, five times in the All-Star team (4 second teams, one third team), and won the fastest-progressive player in 1992. The most memorable thing is that in 1993, he and Barkley teamed up to bring the Suns to the finals, and they still won the sixth game against the Bulls. KJ's breakthrough is as sharp as lightning. He is the only guard in NBA history who averaged 20+ points per game and shot more than 50% in three consecutive seasons (1990-1992). His leadership and tenacity set the benchmark for later Suns defenders.

2. Almighty Master: Jason Kidd (1996-2001)

Although Kidd was short in the Sun's period, it shone brightly. He was selected into the All-Star three times, the All-Squad three times (2 first team, 1 second team), and the Assistant King three times (1999-2001). In 1999, although the "2000" of his and Anthony Hardaway failed to reach the expected height, Kidd's extremely comprehensive skills - organization, defense, and rebounds - were fully demonstrated. He led the Suns into the playoffs for five consecutive years and even reached the Western Conference Finals in the 1999-00 season. Kidd is the key bridge for the Suns to transition from traditional playing styles in the 1990s to running and bombing in the new century.

3. Running and Bombing Engine: Steve Nash (1996-1998, 2004-2012)

Nash's career in the Sun is divided into two parts, but what really laid the foundation for the legend was after his return in 2004. Under D'Antoni's system, Nash transformed into the soul of "seven seconds or less" offensive, and the two consecutive MVPs (2005, 2006) were the supreme recognition of him. He won the assists king five times, was selected for the All-Squad three times, and was selected for the first team at eight times. Nash led the Suns to the Western Conference Finals three times (2005, 2006, 2010). Although he missed the finals, he used his ultimate offensive basketball to subvert the league tradition and influenced the entire generation of basketball concepts. He is one of the greatest players in the history of the Suns, and his time is the eternal glory of the team.

4. Mavericks and Genius: Stephen Marbury (2001-2004)

Marbury's career in the sun is full of controversy. His personal data was dazzling (average 20.4 points and 8.1 assists per game in the 2000-01 season, and 22.3 points and 8.1 assists per game in the 2002-03 season), he was selected as the All-Star twice, and once in three teams, but he failed to convert his personal success into a team breakthrough. The Suns were discontinued from the first round of the playoffs for four consecutive years. Marbury's solo fight was incompatible with the Suns' later team philosophy and eventually became a bargaining chip for trading Nash. He is a genius scorer and organizer, but he has not really integrated into the Suns team genes.

5. The "blood cloth" connecting the past and the future: Eric Bledsoe (2013-2017)

During the long reconstruction period after the end of the Nash era, Bledsoe became one of the few highlights in that dark years. After joining in 2013, he was known as "Little LeBron". With his explosive physical fitness, strong defense and comprehensive offensive skills, he is regarded as the team's new backcourt core. In more than four seasons with the Suns, he has played his best personal data in his career (averages of 21.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game in 2016-17), and demonstrated his potential to be the league's top outside gate. However, Bledsoe's Suns career is also full of regrets. He failed to lead the team in the bad cycle to approach the playoffs, and the team's record has always hovered at the bottom of the West. Finally, he was traded after the famous remark "I don't want to stay here" early in the 2017-18 season, marking the end of a rebuilding phase of the Suns. His contribution lies in maintaining competitiveness and attractiveness for the team and accumulating assets for subsequent reconstruction.

6. Traditional point guard masterpiece: Chris Paul (2020-2023)

Paul's arrival in 2020 is like injecting a cardiac agent into the Suns. He not only brings average data of 16.0 points and 8.7 assists (Suntime), but also valuable experience and leadership. In 2021, he led the Suns to the finals and once led the Bucks 2-0. Although he eventually lost the championship, he has created the best record in the 21st century in team history. Paul was selected into the All-Star three times, twice in the All-Squad (1 second team, 1 third team), and was awarded the assist king in 2022 and created the highest assist and turnover ratio in the league (6.26:1). He combined traditional point guard art with modern basketball to completely activate Ayton, make Booker, paving the way for the Suns to revival, and completing the amazing transformation from the chaos of the Bledsoe period to the finals team.

7. Scoring machine of the new era: Devin Booker (2015 to present)

Booker is the core and future of the Sun. He grew from a young star in the Bledsoe era to a superstar today. He has been selected for the All-Star four times, twice in the All-Squad First Team and Third Team (2022, 2024), and won the NBA2K cover star in 2022. The most amazing thing is that in the 2023 playoffs, he averaged 33.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game, showing the terrifying efficiency of a super scorer. In 2021, he led the Suns to the finals as the absolute core. Although he failed to win the championship, he has proved that he is the top scorer and leader in the league. Booker went through the changes of the times from Bledsoe to Paul, and finally took over the scepter, writing about the glory of himself and the new generation of the sun.

Summary

From KJ to Booker, the Suns' thirty-year journey is like a traditional relay game for defenders, and each player carries a unique mission of the times. KJ laid a solid foundation, Kidd interprets omnipotence, Nash sublimates the team, Marbury demonstrates the limits of personal abilities, Bledsoe symbolizes struggle and hope during the reconstruction period, Paul brings revival and maturity, and Booker represents a new era to the peak. They may have different styles and different achievements, but their common point is: they have dedicated their talents and passion to fans on this land of burning phoenixes, connecting the Suns' thirty years of ups and downs, making them an indispensable and beautiful landscape in the NBA territory.