After obtaining the services of All-NBA talent Chris Paul, the Phoenix Suns can finally entertain the topic of making a run in the playoffs once more.

The deal came on Monday after numerous reports had surfaced about the Suns being heavily engaged with the Oklahoma City Thunder in hopes of making a trade for CP3.

Paul brings a leadership pedigree that the Suns haven't rightfully seen since the Steve Nash days, and he'll likely be the main factor into their increase in winning percentage next season. His style of play will create an excellent option alongside Devin Booker in the backcourt, which gives Phoenix one of the deadlier one-two punches in the Western Conference.

Still, this move only helps the Suns return to relevance. If they were a squad located in the Eastern Conference, their likelihood of a contender could be deeply revisited. However, the West is composed of challenging teams that'll look to pose a threat to the Arizona-based franchise when the season commences. Phoenix did make waves during the Disney bubble as they went undefeated through their remaining regular season games, and adding Paul to the mix of their recently found success does bring about a sense of an upward trend.

Chris Paul, Suns, Devin Booker, NBA
CP

As it stands, however, the Suns don't have all the necessary components to win a championship, much less make a legitimate, deep run in the postseason. They had to ship off a significant piece in Kelly Oubre Jr. to obtain Paul, which could slow them down on the wing–especially with the defensive skills that he'd started to develop. They could certainly make some additional moves to grab some forwards in the free agent market, but none at the moment pose serious consideration if the Suns' objective is to rise to the top of the rankings.

Currently, their “Big 3” consists of Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker and Chris Paul, which can't be taken as a threat without a high-level supporting cast to solidify themselves. While there won't be much of an A-class bulk of talent on the market this offseason, the Suns could find a veteran wing willing to take a paycut to help shore themselves up in the starting lineup. Players such as Wesley Matthews and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope come to mind, seeing as how both players likely won't command heavy salaries.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)

The other aspect of the the Suns' quest for a championship simply lies within player development. Ayton only has two years worth of experience under his belt, which means he has a ways to go in forming into a bona fide big that can compete at that highest level. At 21, the 6-foot-11 center has years ahead of him and unbelievable, raw talent that can be harnessed with the help of Paul, but it won't come overnight.

While Booker has certainly turned into a superstar in his own right with Phoenix, he still has a worthy amount of experience to gain in the league. The 24-year-old scoring threat is coming off another stellar season that earned him his first All-Star appearance, but he and Ayton both have no postseason experience–a feat that's necessary to become competitive.

If the Suns are able to nab some more talent this offseason, they can surely make the case of becoming a sixth or seventh seed in the Western Conference, especially with the Thunder surely bound to miss the postseason after trading Paul. However, their chances of winning a championship with Paul's remaining two years in his contract is highly unlikely.