2013–14 Phoenix Suns season

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2013–14 Phoenix Suns season

The Phoenix Suns’ 2013–14 season was their 46th in the NBA. They unveiled a new look, with purple no longer the primary color for their jerseys or logo, and they made a top-five draft pick for the first time since 1987–88. Alex Len, a center from Maryland, was selected fifth overall.

Returning players from the previous year were limited to Goran Dragić, P. J. Tucker, and Markieff Morris (his twin brother Marcus Morris also returned). Channing Frye did not play due to a life-threatening heart ailment. The team finished with a 48–34 record, good for third in the Pacific Division and ninth in the Western Conference, but they did not qualify for the playoffs. Their winning percentage was one of the best ever for a non-playoff team in the eight-team playoff era, a point of frustration for Suns fans.

Draft and roster moves

The Suns used their top-five pick to take Len and later made several big roster moves. They acquired Archie Goodwin and Malcolm Lee in a trade that sent Nemanja Nedović to the Golden State Warriors. They also made a series of trades to reshape the roster, including sending Jared Dudley to the Clippers in exchange for Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler, and later trading Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown, Malcolm Lee, and Kendall Marshall to the Washington Wizards for Emeka Okafor and a 2014 first-round pick. They also moved Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee to Phoenix in a separate deal for Luis Scola, then later had other adjustments as part of their plan to compete.

Midseason additions and injuries

During the season, Leandro Barbosa returned to the Suns on a pair of 10-day contracts to help replace the injured Bledsoe. He eventually stayed for the rest of the year. The team also added Shavlik Randolph in March to add frontcourt depth. Beasley’s buyout earlier in the year reduced some salary obligations, and Kravtsov was waived in March as part of ongoing roster balancing.

Coaching, front office, and staff

The Suns made significant leadership changes. Jeff Hornacek was hired as head coach to replace interim Lindsey Hunter, and Ryan McDonough was hired as general manager after a year-long search. The organization also restructured its staff with new assistants and support personnel to implement the team’s new direction.

Season summary

Phoenix finished 48–34 and missed the playoffs, a surprising outcome given the strong record in a tough Western Conference. The season was marked by a broad transformation—new colors and branding, a high-profile draft pick, and a series of trades aimed at building a more competitive, modern team under Hornacek and McDonough. The Suns looked to translate their regular-season success into a playoff push in the years that followed, continuing to rebuild around a young core with a fresh organizational approach.