NBA title or bust for Phoenix Suns, and other 2024 burning questions facing Arizona sports
2024 promises to hold a lot of intrigue for Arizona sports fans, with a lot of important storylines surrounding their teams.
Some teams appear to have legitimate championship aspirations, while others have speculation swirling about the future of some key players and even the future of their team.
Here's a look at some of the burning questions facing Arizona sports teams in this new year, a year that once again holds so much promise for fans of some of the state's professional and college sports teams.
What else and who else will fans of our local sports teams be talking about in 2024?
Will the Phoenix Suns win their first NBA title?
This is burning question No. 1 for 2024 for many Arizona sports fans, as they hope the Suns win their first title since joining the NBA in 1968.
With Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker leading the way, can Phoenix end up breaking through for that elusive first championship after falling short in three previous NBA Finals in their history?
The team turned over its roster in the offseason, expanded its payroll and replaced its head coach, hoping for a better postseason run in 2024.
Will it pay off?
More: Why anything less than a championship will be unacceptable for Phoenix Suns in 2024
Will Arizona Diamondbacks build off surprise World Series run?
The DBacks came up short of winning the 2023 World Series, but no one expected them to be there.
Expectations will be a lot higher in 2024. Can the team at least return to the MLB postseason?
Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and other key players are back, and the team has added some key additions in free agency and via trade.
Could a return trip to the postseason be the result?
What will the Arizona Cardinals do in NFL draft?
The Cardinals will likely have a top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft if they keep it, but who will they pick?
Marvin Harrison Jr. has been linked to the team and the dynamic Ohio State wide receiver could really help Arizona, and Kyler Murray.
But that's a whole other question …
Will Kyler Murray stay with Cardinals?
GM Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon did not draft Kyler Murray.
Could they decide to take their own QB in the 2024 NFL Draft and attempt to trade Murray?
Like it or not, the Murray speculation is not going away anytime soon, especially with the possibility that Arizona could draft a QB.
Stay tuned.
Will Phoenix Mercury's Diana Taurasi retire?
The WNBA legend is playing in 2024 for the Mercury, but could it be her final season in the league?
Widely considered the greatest of all time, Taurasi has accomplished everything a player could ever want to accomplish.
Take advantage of every chance you get to see her play while you can.
Will the Arizona Wildcats make the Final Four in Glendale?
How cool would it be to see an Arizona team in the Final Four in Arizona?
The 2024 NCAA Men's Final Four is at State Farm Stadium on April 6 and April 8 and the Wildcats could have a shot at playing for a national championship in their home state.
It's extremely hard to make the Final Four, but Tommy Lloyd's team at least has a chance to break through for the first time in his tenure in Tucson and make it.
That's something to definitely keep an eye on.
Will ASU men's basketball make NCAA Tournament again?
The Sun Devils made the NCAA Tournament a year ago, winning in the First Four before being edged in the first round by TCU.
Can Bobby Hurley's team make a return trip?
It might require the team to win the Pac-12 Tournament this year, something it has never done. Interestingly, ASU is the host school for the 2024 Final Four.
Just pointing that out.
Will Grand Canyon men's basketball make the NCAA Tournament again?
Bryce Drew was named GCU's coach in 2020. He took the Antelopes to the NCAA tourney in 2021 and 2023, their first two appearances in March Madness.
Can the Antelopes get back in 2024? Might they get their first NCAA Tournament win this time around?
They at least have a shot as we start 2024.
Will Arizona football challenge for the Big 12 football title?
Wow. The sentence above is one that we probably thought we'd never see, but Arizona will be in the Big 12 in 2024 and after a 9-3 regular season in 2023, the Wildcats are indeed expected to challenge for the Big 12 title.
With QB Noah Fifita and other key players returning, don't count them out. It could be a special first Big 12 season for Jedd Fisch's team.
Will the Arizona Coyotes get a new arena?
We long for the day that we can just talk about Coyotes hockey and not Coyotes arenas. That day is not here yet, but could it come in 2024?
One can hope. It would definitely be nice if the team's focus could be on the ice, not on where the ice is located. We might get closer to that this year.
As for the Coyotes on the ice ...
Will the Coyotes continue to surprise?
The Coyotes are young. Arena questions plague them. But, they have been a surprise on the ice this season.
Could they continue to surprise and make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2019-20?
That would be a huge boost to the organization and that organization could definitely use the boost. Even if they don't make it, just challenging for the postseason would provide an exciting storyline for Arizona hockey fans.
How will Arizona State fare in Big 12 football?
Arizona will shortly become Big 12 Country. How will ASU fare in the new conference?
Kenny Dillingham and the Sun Devils will have a lot to navigate in 2024, but the coach's passion for the job and love of ASU showed us that he should be up to the task.
How improved will ASU be during Dillingham's second season in 2024?
Will transfers continue to run amok in Arizona high schools?
We had to put something about high schools in here, and why not the question that affects seemingly every sport, and every school?
It seems as if more athletes are transferring each year, similar to the transfer portal in college athletics.
We don't think it is going to stop any time soon.
What key transfers will we see in 2024? Our guess is a lot of them.
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Burning questions for Arizona sports 2024: Suns, Kyler Murray, DBacks
