Suns From the Archives: Three Finals, Still No Ring

By the Suns Nightly Desk · Monday, October 12

The Suns have reached three NBA Finals - 1976, 1993 and 2021 - and lost all three, the price of the league's best winning percentage among teams without a title. Fifty-eight years after Jerry Colangelo's first season, Jordan Ott, Devin Booker and a roster still waiting on Mark Williams carry the same chase forward.

Suns Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Three Finals, No Ring. Phoenix has reached the Finals three times - 1976, 1993 and 2021 - and lost every one. Garfield Heard's shot forced a third overtime in 1976 before Boston closed it out in six. Jordan's Bulls beat Barkley's Suns in 1993. The Bucks beat Chris Paul's group in six in 2021.

This Date, Long Ago. On October 12 across three seasons, Phoenix mostly won: 109-100 over Kansas City in 1980-81 and 97-89 over Golden State in 1979-80, against one lopsided loss, 84-107 to Milwaukee in 1973-74. October results, then and now, have never forecast much.

Colangelo's Opening Act. Jerry Colangelo took over as general manager at 28 in the franchise's first season and went 16-66 with Johnny 'Red' Kerr coaching. Jordan Ott now runs his own rebuild, with Brian Gregory as general manager, after Mat Ishbia fired Mike Budenholzer. A new voice, a young core, a record still forming.

Barkley's Trade Had a Sequel. Charles Barkley arrived from Philadelphia in 1992 for Jeff Hornacek, Andrew Lang and Tim Perry, and won MVP a year later. The 2025 Durant trade to Houston followed the same shape: send out a star, bring back Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the draft rights to Khaman Maluach. One swing produced a Finals run.

Booker Joins the Lineage. Devin Booker's two-year, $145 million extension is the richest annual salary in NBA history, placing him in the franchise's line of cornerstone guards after Steve Nash and Kevin Johnson. Booker scored 13 points in the season-opening loss at Detroit before a rest day on October 10.

One Voice, Three Eras. Al McCoy, hired in 1972 and a Curt Gowdy Award winner, called all three Finals runs and is still the longest-tenured broadcaster in NBA history. Coaches, general managers and rosters have turned over completely since 1976; his call has been the one constant through each unfinished chase.

On deck Phoenix plays at San Antonio in a preseason rematch on October 14, then hosts Utah on October 16 before the regular-season opener at Portland on October 21.

Have the Phoenix Suns ever won an NBA championship?

No. Phoenix has reached the Finals three times, in 1976, 1993 and 2021, and lost each series.

Who has been the Suns' play-by-play voice the longest?

Al McCoy, hired in 1972, called all three of the franchise's Finals runs and is the longest-tenured broadcaster in NBA history.