The Phoenix Suns were supposed to be in the middle of a lengthy rebuilding process after losing Steve Nash two seasons ago, yet they emerged as the surprise team of the NBA in 2013. Phoenix nearly made the playoffs in a tough Western Conference and finished the year with a 48-34 record and one game behind the Dallas Mavericks for the eight seed. The team's success should rest on the hands of rookie head coach Jeff Hornacek and his offensive system that built one of the most exciting backcourts in the league last year with Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic running the show.

The Suns are still a couple of star players away from making a deep playoff run, but they will certainly be a team of consequence during the upcoming season for both NBA fans and bettors. Dragic is a game-changing point guard and one of the most exciting players in the league. Let's take a closer look at Phoenix's 2014 futures odds with predictions and analysis. All lines come from Bovada.

2014 Phoenix Suns Futures Odds Betting Story Lines

Phoenix was one of those pesky teams that kept ruining spreads and breaking up parlays and teasers in 2013. The squad produced the best ATS mark in the entire NBA with a ridiculous 52-29-1 record and 64.2 percent win rate yet stayed under the radar until the very end of the season. Phoenix spent 2013 living in the shadow of its past success, and the expectation was that the team was supposed to tank and position itself for a loaded draft class in the offseason.

Phoenix, however, built up quite a bit of chemistry in its backcourt between Bledsoe and Dragic to go along with the solid play from Channing Frye and Gerald Green. Hornacek also deserves credit for taking what could have been an entertaining, but ultimately ineffective, group of talent under a lesser coach and turning them into a legitimate team with an effective offensive system.

2014 Phoenix Suns Additions and Departures

The Suns saw a bit of movement on their roster over the summer, losing Frye and adding Isaiah Thomas-a young and energetic guard-along with rookies T.J Warren and Tyler Ennis. The additions could be enough to push Phoenix over the hump and into the seventh or eighth playoff spot in the West, especially if Thomas, in particular, can continue the excellent play and growth he displayed in Sacramento. The Suns are small and play fast-a style that may not succeed in the playoffs but can win 50 games during the regular season.

2014 Phoenix Suns Futures Odds and Trends

NBA title odds : +10000

Western Conference odds : +4000

Phoenix is receiving long shot futures odds in both the NBA title and conference championship categories. The team is good, but not elite, and a championship this season is highly unlikely. That assessment does not mean Phoenix is not a viable betting option as it should be an excellent ATS group once again and could still be under the radar in the minds of most fans and NBA bettors. The Suns do not have any Rookie of the Year or MVP candidates.

2014 Phoenix Sun Predictions and Futures Odds Picks

Record : 52-30

Finish : Seventh in WC

Expect Phoenix to be one of those teams that goes unnoticed by fans and bettors for most of the season because they do not have a star player or a high-profile coach. Of course, other NBA teams have taken notice after of last year's success, and the squad could have a tougher road to the playoffs because of it. However, Phoenix plays a style that is perfect for the nightly grind of the NBA schedule, and they will continue to catch teams off guard and cover spreads. The Suns are not championship material, so skip the futures odds, but they are team that will make noise and cover spreads in 2014.

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