The 2008–09 Phoenix Suns season was the 41st season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season was to be a promising one, filled with All-Star talent at several positions. It was believed over the offseason, the Suns would be able to better incorporate Shaquille O'Neal, who necessitated changes to both the offense and defense after being obtained in a trade one season ago. It was also the first season head coach Terry Porter had been able to use the summer to implement his defensive approach for a team which had in seasons past scored a large number of their points off fast breaks and early in the shot clock. Sensing a need for change, team management traded for scorer Jason Richardson in December, but this did not appear to immediately reinvigorate an offense that had recently led the league in points per game. However, after Phoenix went 28–23 to start the season, Suns assistant Alvin Gentry was named to replace Porter as head coach. Less than one week after the All-Star Game, Amar'e Stoudemire sustained a season-ending eye injury while the improvement of the team never fully came. The Suns finished 46–36, second in the Pacific division but out the playoffs for the first time since Steve Nash rejoined the Suns in the 2004–05 season. The Suns had the best team offensive rating in the NBA.
Key dates June 26: The 2008 NBA draft took place in New York City. July 1: The free agency period started. October 1: Starting power forward Amar'e Stoudemire sustained a partially torn iris.Jeramie McPeek, SUNS: Stoudemire Lucky Eye Injury Not Worse, Suns.com, October 3, 2008. October 8: The pre-season started with a game against the Atlanta Hawks. October 29: The regular season started with a game against the San Antonio Spurs. February 14–15: Phoenix hosted the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend. February 16: The Suns fired coach Terry Porter and named Alvin Gentry interim coach.Stefan Swiat, SUNS: Alvin Gentry Named Interim Head Coach by the Suns, Suns.com, February 16, 2009. February 20: Stoudemire underwent surgery for a detached retina and was out for eight weeks after an injury sustained on February 18.SUNS: Stoudemire Undergoes Successful Eye Surgery, Suns.com, February 20, 2009.
Offseason
June 7: Terry Porter was named as the Suns' new head coach.Stefan Swiat, SUNS: Suns Name Terry Porter Head Coach, Suns.com, Suns.com, June 7, 2008. June 20: Alvin Gentry, Bill Cartwright, Dan Majerle and Igor Kokoskov were named as the Suns' new assistant coaches.SUNS: Suns Complete Coaching Staff, Suns.com, June 20, 2008. June 26: Forward Grant Hill has exercised his player option for the 2008–09 season.SUNS: Suns Hill Exercises Player Option For 2008–09, Suns.com, June 26, 2008. June 26: Suns have acquired the draft rights to the rookie point guard Goran Dragić from San Antonio Spurs.Brad G. Faye, SUNS: Suns Believe in Dragic, Suns.com, June 26, 2008. July 10: Suns have signed center Robin Lopez, selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft.SUNS: Suns Sign Robin Lopez, Suns.com, July 10, 2008. July 22: Free agent forward Matt Barnes has signed with the Suns.Josh Greene, SUNS: Suns Ink Barnes to a One-Year Deal , Suns.com, July 22, 2008. August 14: Free agent forward Louis Amundson has signed with the Suns.Stefan Swiat, SUNS: Suns Sign Forward Louis Amundson, Suns.com, August 14, 2008. August 25: Suns have acquired rookie guard Sean Singletary from the Houston Rockets in exchange for guard D. J. Strawberry.SUNS: Suns Acquire Sean Singletary, Suns.com, August 14, 2008. September 22: Suns have signed Goran Dragić.Stefan Swiat, SUNS: Suns Sign Goran Dragic, Suns.com, September 22, 2008. October 23: The Phoenix Suns have exercised the team's option on swingman Alando Tucker for the 2009–10 season.SUNS: Suns Exercise Option on Alando Tucker, Suns.com, October 23, 2008.
NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 15 Robin Lopez Center Stanford 2 48 Malik Hairston Guard Oregon
Roster
Regular season
Standings
Game log
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 1 | October 29 | @ San Antonio | | Amar'e Stoudemire (22) | Shaquille O'Neal (13) | Steve Nash (13) | AT&T Center18,797 | 1–0 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | October 30 | New Orleans | | Steve Nash (24) | Amar'e Stoudemire (12) | Steve Nash (9) | US Airways Center18,422 | 1–1
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 3 | November 1 | Portland | | Amar'e Stoudemire (23) | Amar'e Stoudemire (13) | Steve Nash (7) | US Airways Center18,422 | 2–1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 4 | November 4 | @ New Jersey | | Raja Bell (22) | Matt Barnes (7) | Steve Nash (11) | Izod Center15,230 | 3–1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 5 | November 5 | @ Indiana | | Amar'e Stoudemire (49) | Amar'e Stoudemire (11) | Amar'e Stoudemire, Steve Nash (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse11,660 | 4–1 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | November 7 | @ Chicago | | Amar'e Stoudemire (26) | Robin Lopez, Amar'e Stoudemire (7) | Steve Nash (5) | United Center21,967 | 4–2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 7 | November 8 | @ Milwaukee | | Shaquille O'Neal (29) | Shaquille O'Neal, Grant Hill (11) | Steve Nash (7) | Bradley Center17,935 | 5–2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 8 | November 10 | Memphis | | Leandro Barbosa (27) | Matt Barnes (8) | Steve Nash (6) | US Airways Center18,422 | 6–2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 | November 12 | Houston | | Leandro Barbosa, Shaquille O'Neal (18) | Shaquille O'Neal (13) | Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Nash (3) | US Airways Center18,422 | 6–3 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 10 | November 14 | @ Sacramento | | Shaquille O'Neal (29) | Shaquille O'Neal (13) | Shaquille O'Neal (6) | ARCO Arena12,810 | 7–3 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 11 | November 16 | Detroit | | Amar'e Stoudemire (29) | Amar'e Stoudemire (11) | Steve Nash (7) | US Airways Center18,422 | 8–3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | November 17 | @ Utah | | Amar'e Stoudemire (30) | Amar'e Stoudemire (8) | Steve Nash (8) | EnergySolutions Arena19,911 | 8–4 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | November 20 | L.A. Lakers | | Amar'e Stoudemire (21) | Shaquille O'Neal (9) | Steve Nash (10) | US Airways Center18,422 | 8–5 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 14 | November 22 | Portland | | Shaquille O'Neal (19) | Shaquille O'Neal (17) | Steve Nash (7) | US Airways Center18,422 | 9–5 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 15 | November 25 | @ Oklahoma City | | Amar'e Stoudemire (22) | Steve Nash (8) | Steve Nash (15) | Ford Center19,136 | 10–5 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 16 | November 26 | @ Minnesota | | Steve Nash (20) | Shaquille O'Neal (10) | Steve Nash (6) | Target Center11,708 | 11–5 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | November 28 | Miami | | Leandro Barbosa (20) | Shaquille O'Neal (9) | Leandro Barbosa (5) | US Airways Center18,422 | 11–6 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 | November 30 | New Jersey | | Steve Nash (26) | Amar'e Stoudemire (12) | Steve Nash (9) | US Airways Center18,422 | 11–7
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | December 3 | @ New Orleans | | Amar'e Stoudemire (26) | Matt Barnes (7) | Grant Hill (6) | New Orleans Arena15,804 | 11–8 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 4 | @ Dallas | | Amar'e Stoudemire (28) | Matt Barnes (6) | Steve Nash (10) | American Airlines Center19,813 | 11–9 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 21 | December 6 | Utah | | Leandro Barbosa (25) | Amar'e Stoudemire (20) | Steve Nash (9) | US Airways Center18,422 | 12–9 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 22 | December 9 | Milwaukee | | Shaquille O'Neal (35) | Shaquille O'Neal, Amar'e Stoudemire (8) | Steve Nash (10) | US Airways Center18,422 | 13–9 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | December 10 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Matt Barnes (25) | Amar'e Stoudemire (11) | Steve Nash (9) | Staples Center18,997 | 13–10 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 24 | December 12 | Orlando | | Jason Richardson, Amar'e Stoudemire, Steve Nash (21) | Amar'e Stoudemire (14) | Steve Nash (10) | US Airways Center18,422 | 14–10 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 25 | December 15 | New York | | Shaquille O'Neal (23) | Amar'e Stoudemire (14) | Steve Nash (6) | US Airways Center18,422 | 15–10 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | December 18 | @ Portland | | Amar'e Stoudemire (23) | Amar'e Stoudemire (8) | Steve Nash (11) | Rose Garden20,650 | 15–11 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 27 | December 20 | Denver | | Amar'e Stoudemire (27) | Amar'e Stoudemire (10) | Steve Nash (11) | US Airways Center18,422 | 16–11 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 | December 25 | San Antonio | | Amar'e Stoudemire (25) | Amar'e Stoudemire (13) | Steve Nash (8) | US Airways Center18,422 | 16–12 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 29 | December 29 | @ Oklahoma City | | Shaquille O'Neal (28) | Shaquille O'Neal (12) | Leandro Barbosa, Amar'e Stoudemire (5) | Ford Center19,136 | 17–12 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 30 | December 30 | @ Memphis | | Leandro Barbosa (28) | Shaquille O'Neal (13) | Matt Barnes (5) | FedExForum14,471 | 18–12
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 31 | January 2 | L.A. Clippers | | Amar'e Stoudemire (23) | Shaquille O'Neal (9) | Steve Nash (11) | US Airways Center18,422 | 19–12 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | January 7 | Indiana | | Amar'e Stoudemire (23) | Louis Amundson (14) | Steve Nash (12) | US Airways Center18,422 | 19–13 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 33 | January 9 | Dallas | | Shaquille O'Neal (25) | Shaquille O'Neal (10) | Steve Nash (12) | US Airways Center18,422 | 20–13 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 34 | January 11 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Amar'e Stoudemire (26) | Shaquille O'Neal (10) | Steve Nash (12) | Staples Center17,307 | 21–13 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 35 | January 13 | Atlanta | | Shaquille O'Neal (26) | Matt Barnes, Shaquille O'Neal (10) | Steve Nash (6) | US Airways Center18,422 | 22–13 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 15 | @ Denver | | Grant Hill (25) | Grant Hill, Amar'e Stoudemire (8) | Steve Nash (14) | Pepsi Center18,073 | 22–14 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | January 16 | Minnesota | | Shaquille O'Neal, Leandro Barbosa (22) | Shaquille O'Neal (11) | Steve Nash (6) | US Airways Center18,422 | 22–15 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 38 | January 18 | @ Toronto | | Amar'e Stoudemire (31) | Grant Hill (9) | Steve Nash (18) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 23–15 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | January 19 | @ Boston | | Shaquille O'Neal (16) | Shaquille O'Neal (11) | Steve Nash (8) | TD Banknorth Garden18,624 | 23–16 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 40 | January 21 | @ New York | | Jason Richardson (27) | Shaquille O'Neal (12) | Steve Nash (19) | Madison Square Garden19,256 | 23–17 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 | January 23 | @ Charlotte | | Shaquille O'Neal (20) | Amar'e Stoudemire (9) | Steve Nash (5) | Time Warner Cable Arena19,104 | 23–18 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 42 | January 25 | @ Atlanta | | Amar'e Stoudemire (23) | Shaquille O'Neal (11) | Steve Nash (13) | Philips Arena19,153 | 24–18 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 43 | January 26 | @ Washington | | Shaquille O'Neal (29) | Amar'e Stoudemire (15) | Steve Nash (15) | Verizon Center17,344 | 25–18 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 44 | January 29 | San Antonio | | Amar'e Stoudemire (28) | Amar'e Stoudemire, Grant Hill (10) | Steve Nash (18) | US Airways Center18,422 | 25–19 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 45 | January 31 | Chicago | | Leandro Barbosa (32) | Shaquille O'Neal (8) | Steve Nash (10) | US Airways Center18,422 | 25–20
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 46 | February 2 | Sacramento | | Amar'e Stoudemire (25) | Shaquille O'Neal (9) | Steve Nash (9) | US Airways Center18,422 | 26–20 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 47 | February 4 | @ Golden State | | Jason Richardson (24) | Shaquille O'Neal (12) | Steve Nash (9) | Oracle Arena19,596 | 26–21 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 48 | February 6 | Golden State | | Grant Hill (27) | Amar'e Stoudemire (15) | Steve Nash (8) | US Airways Center18,422 | 27–21 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 49 | February 8 | @ Detroit | | Jason Richardson (21) | Shaquille O'Neal (10) | Steve Nash (21) | The Palace of Auburn Hills22,076 | 28–21 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 | February 9 | @ Philadelphia | | Amar'e Stoudemire (19) | Shaquille O'Neal (10) | Steve Nash (8) | Wachovia Center16,797 | 28–22 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 11 | @ Cleveland | | Amar'e Stoudemire (27) | Amar'e Stoudemire, Shaquille O'Neal, Matt Barnes (6) | Leandro Barbosa (7)