The 1986–87 Phoenix Suns season was the 18th season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. The Suns started their fourteenth season under head coach John MacLeod. At 22–36 (.379) in late February, management decided to replace the longstanding MacLeod with Dick Van Arsdale, a former Suns player from the 1975–76 Finals team (coached by MacLeod). Phoenix went 14–12 (.538) in those last 26 games under Van Arsdale to finish at 36–46 (.439), and missed the 16-team playoffs by one game. All Suns' home games were played at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.