Where do the Phoenix Suns stack up in the NBA’s championship tier?

We’ve addressed the “why.” Why do we expect the Phoenix Suns to win upward of 50 games this year?

That may not have answered this question: In the context of the NBA as a whole, where do they stand?

The Milwaukee Bucks are the reigning NBA Champions, the Brooklyn Nets began the year Tuesday with two of their three superstars and the Los Angeles Lakers have remastered a very talented team that at worst is old and very top-heavy.

With that said, we asked Arizona Sports hosts and editors to make a simple list of where the Suns stand among the top-tier squads. Listed below are their preseason power rankings for the top five teams they believe will compete for the title.

Dave Burns, co-host of Burns & Gambo

1. Milwaukee Bucks
2. Utah Jazz
3. Phoenix Suns
4. Brooklyn Nets
5. Los Angeles Lakers

Vince Marotta, co-host of Bickley & Marotta:

1. Milwaukee Bucks
2. Phoenix Suns
3. Brooklyn Nets
4. Utah Jazz
5. Miami Heat

Jon Bloom, Suns play-by-play voice and postgame show host:

1. Phoenix Suns
2. Utah Jazz
3. Los Angeles Lakers
4. Golden State Warriors
5. Dallas Mavericks

Luke Lapinski, co-host of Wolf & Luke

1. Brooklyn Nets
2. Phoenix Suns
3. Milwaukee Bucks
4. Los Angeles Lakers
5. Utah Jazz

John Gambadoro, co-host of Burns & Gambo:

1. Brooklyn Nets
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. Phoenix Suns
4. Miami Heat
5. Utah Jazz

Kellan Olson, arizonasports.com editor and co-host of Empire of the Suns podcast

1. Brooklyn Nets
2. Milwaukee Bucks
3. Phoenix Suns
4. Denver Nuggets
5. Los Angeles Lakers

Kevin Zimmerman, arizonasports.com lead editor and co-host of Empire of the Suns podcast

1. Brooklyn Nets
2. Milwaukee Bucks
3. Phoenix Suns
4. Los Angeles Lakers
5. Utah Jazz

Tyler Drake, arizonasports.com editor

1. Phoenix Suns
2. Milwaukee Bucks
3. Denver Nuggets
4. Brooklyn Nets
5. Los Angeles Lakers

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