With the New York Knicks on the verge of winning their first championship in over 50 years, Suns fans can't help but envy them, as Phoenix's championship drought continues. But in a Finals matchup full of Suns connections, there may be a silver lining there.
When looking at New York's roster, it's a hefty payroll spent towards a star-studded, well-rounded team. However, as good as their franchise star, Jalen Brunson, has been, there isn't really an argument that they have a mega-star, top-5 talent running the show.
In that sense, the Suns' situation is comparable to that of the Knicks. Devin Booker is certainly on the same talent level as Jalen Brunson; the real difference is that Brunson has benefited more from complementary roster-building than Booker has. The Knicks surrounded Brunson with scoring, size, and athleticism in ways the Suns have not with Booker.
The Suns should have learned this already in their playoff loss to OKC, but what Phoenix is missing is essentially the blueprint the Knicks have built. Karl-Anthony Towns has been the perfect #2 next to Brunson in this playoff run, something the Suns are missing next to Booker. New York's size and versatility deployed on the wing with Anunoby, Bridges, and Hart has been vital to their success, another hole the Suns have with the current roster.
The Suns are not far from building a team similar to New York's
Even when looking at the current roster, the Suns may already have some of the necessary pieces in place to complete this blueprint built by the Knicks.
They have the superstar centerpiece with Devin Booker, as the Knicks do with Brunson. They have a legitimate impact wing with Dillon Brooks, comparable to O.G. Anunoby's role in New York. The expectation, or at least the hope, is that Rasheer Fleming can become a phenomenal role player in the NBA, mirroring what Josh Hart does for New York. The same goes for Khaman Maluach, who could theoretically be Phoenix's version of Mitchell Robinson, at the very least.
That's not to mention the impact that role players like Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen could have, like Shamet and Alvarado do for the Knicks. In that area, the Suns probably even have the edge on New York.
The biggest unknown and X-factor in this scenario is Jalen Green. Ideally, he can become the co-star to Devin Booker that Karl-Anthony Towns is to Jalen Brunson, but there's no way to confidently say that, at this point. Realistically, the Suns will likely need to find that co-star elsewhere, which is easier said than done.
The co-star situation is the big difference here, and not one to be taken lightly, but otherwise, the Suns are building a team similar to what the Knicks have in New York. With limited resources, the Suns may have a hard time completing the blueprint set forth by the Knicks, but there's a reality where the Suns are able to do exactly that, and put together a magical playoff run like the Knicks are doing right now.
