With the preseason wrapped up, the Phoenix Suns get ready for their season opener in Portland. This is a fun game for the Suns, who faced the Trail Blazers last year for the seventh spot in the Play-In tournament. Unfortunately for the Suns, the Blazers snuck up on them and stole the win, but the Suns were lucky enough to make the play-in tournament as the eighth seed. Phoenix will look to get off to a strong start and avenge last postseason by winning on opening night, and a huge reason they can do that is how cohesive this squad is.
As we noted throughout the offseason, the team made minimal roster changes. They shipped Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen to bring in Miles Bridges, then signed Luke Kennard. Beyond the two-way acquisitions, almost everyone (sorry, Haywood Highsmith) is still on this roster, and a bunch of them signed new deals to stay. That shows the Suns had just the tip of the iceberg last year, and they can fully capitalize on this opportunity.
Not to mention, Kennard and Bridges will add the areas the team needs. Kennard comes in to try to replicate Allen’s three-point shooting, while Bridges brings more size to the frontcourt, which lacked a natural power forward last season.
That said, key guys like Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin were brought back because of the role and impact they had last season. With both of them back and locked in as the backcourt duo, their chemistry is only going to grow. Add that Gillespie worked well with Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro last year, getting them both comfortable in that bench unit. That leaves me with no fear that he will do the same with Ighodaro and now Khaman Maluach, who has taken this leap.
With this bench unit mostly intact and a few fun new pieces, I’m confident it will be one of the league’s top bench units. Regardless of who starts at center, a lineup with Gillespie, Goodwin, Kennard, Dunn/Fleming, and Ighodaro/Maluach is set up to be a well-oiled, complementary machine. Most of them can shoot threes, and they make the hustle/winning plays we look for as fans. Of course, there can be some concern about a few pieces, and even if a guy like Koa Peat sees some time, given how deep the roster is, only time will tell.
Looking at the starting lineup, I think a lot will carry over from last season. Obviously, with the Bridges trade and Williams’s injury, the lineup will look different from last season, but not drastically. Devin Booker is still here, and he is the franchise guy who will look to improve as he did last year. We saw the number change, and maybe this unlocks Book to be on one this upcoming season. Three-point shooting is one key area he needs to improve from last year, and with Jalen Green getting some work with Steve Nash this offseason, we could see Book take on more of an off-ball role than in the previous two years.
Green is another intriguing name, as the guard came to Phoenix last year as the centerpiece of the KD trade on paper, but, with injuries, didn’t meet expectations. The former Rockets guard led the team in points per game and brought them to the No. 2 seed in a deep West, only to be traded the following offseason. That takes a mental toll on a player, and for Green, who came into training camp with some injuries, the combination didn’t pan out well. Luckily for him, this year, he said he feels a lot better and healthier coming into camp, and looks to make the most of his redemption arc this year,
As I said above, he worked with Nash in the offseason and stayed in Phoenix over the summer to maximize his opportunities. He knows next year is the final year of his deal; it is a big prove-it year, and he wants to take full advantage of it, not only to secure a nice payday but also to have somewhere to call home in the future. With no injuries to consider, this should be an exciting year to watch Green in this system.
Then comes Villain Dillion Brooks, who looks to keep that floor rising for this team. He was a huge acquisition to help shift the culture in the Valley, and he looks to build on it this season. Adding Bridges, too, I think, eases the pain of having to show up offensively every night, especially when Green was out. Now that Bridges and Brooks are together, they can hopefully share that offensive load, while Brooks can still disrupt the defense.
When you add it all up, the Suns look like a pretty impactful team on both ends and across the roster. The roster has no position needs and isn’t overstocked in any one position as they head into the season with 14 guys under contract. That’s something I enjoy and feel confident about going into this year; they’re deep, and I saw that last night. From watching the final preseason game against the Utah Jazz, you could see this team’s cohesion on the floor.
Green looked for open guys, and he and Book started hot. Then Brooks got into a rhythm and started to hunt down his shots; Bridges also hit some threes and looked more comfortable. Even Maluach, stepping up for Ighodaro, who was out, made some impactful plays on both ends. This team was scrappy last season, and that mentality is still sticking through from 1-14 on the roster, and that is key. Personally, I’m super excited to see them take the floor.
Both the starters and the bench looked like a complete unit, with one player ready for the wide-open shot or the best opportunity, which didn’t always seem the case last season. That truly has me bought in and excited for the season; last year, I was optimistic, but not this high on the whole roster. Ultimately, we will find out whether this cohesion truly makes a difference. I think we will see it show on the bright side this season for the Suns.
Discover more from Latest Sports and Entertainment Magazine
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
