1995–96 Phoenix Suns season

The 1995–96 NBA season was the 28th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Suns acquired Hot Rod Williams from the Cleveland Cavaliers, and signed free agent Tony Smith. The Suns struggled with a 13–13 start to the season, then lost eight of their next nine games. Head coach Paul Westphal, who had led the Suns to the 1993 NBA Finals, went 14–19 before being replaced by Cotton Fitzsimmons, who would come on to coach in his third stint with the Suns, while Smith was traded to the Miami Heat in exchange for rookie guard Terrence Rencher at midseason. The team played above .500 for the remainder of the season, as they held a 22–24 record at the All-Star break, and finished fourth in the Pacific Division, and seventh in the Western Conference with a 41–41 record. All home games were played at America West Arena. They were also one of the nine teams to defeat the 72–10 Chicago Bulls.

Charles Barkley led the Suns with 23.2 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, while point guard Kevin Johnson averaged 18.7 points, led the team with 9.2 assists, and contributed 1.5 steals per game in only 56 games due to hamstring and groin injuries. In addition, top draft pick Michael Finley, a rookie from the University of Wisconsin, who was selected by the Suns as the 21st overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft, appeared in all 82 regular season games, averaging 15.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, while leading the team with 39.2 minutes per game, and was later named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Sixth man Danny Manning averaged 13.4 points per game off the bench, but only played just 33 games due to a torn ACL, and sprained ankle. Second-year guard Wesley Person provided the team with 12.7 points per game, while Wayman Tisdale contributed 10.7 points per game off the bench, Elliott Perry contributed 8.6 points and 4.4 assists per game, A.C. Green provided with 7.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and Hot Rod Williams averaged 7.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, and led the team with 1.5 blocks per game.

Despite playing all 82 games, Finley suffered an ankle injury on the final day of the regular season, and did not play in any of the Suns' playoff games. Without Finley, the Suns were eliminated from the playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs, three games to one in the Western Conference First Round.

Barkley also made his 10th consecutive All-Star appearance, being selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game. The power forward, who had turned 33 years of age during the season, made his 11th All-NBA Team, appearing as a selection on the Third Team. It was the first time in Barkley's career he had not been selected to the First or Second Team. Following the season, Barkley was traded to the Houston Rockets after four seasons in Phoenix, while Perry was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks, and Rencher was released to free agency.