Grayson Allen and the Contender Conundrum: What the Suns Are Learning the Hard Way
Grayson Allen’s NBA journey has always been a bit of a paradox. He’s got the shooting stroke, the occasional scoring outburst, and the college pedigree that suggests he should be a key contributor on a playoff team. And yet, here we are again-another team, another season, and the same lingering question: Can you really count on Grayson Allen when it matters most?
Phoenix is finding out what Milwaukee already learned.
Allen’s putting up 16.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game this season, shooting a respectable 37.9% from deep. On the surface, those are solid numbers-certainly starter-caliber on paper.
But the issue isn’t what Allen can do on a good night. It’s what happens on the nights when the shots aren’t falling, the defense is a step slow, and the impact fades into the background.
For a team like the Suns, who are firmly in win-now mode with a roster built around star power, that kind of inconsistency is a problem. They needed a reliable perimeter shooter and defender to complement their core.
Allen was supposed to be that guy-spacing the floor, defending on the wing, and knocking down open looks when defenses collapsed on the stars. But consistency has never been his calling card, and that’s where the cracks are starting to show.
This isn’t new information. During his time in Milwaukee, Allen showed flashes of being more than just a role player.
There were stretches where he looked like he could be a fringe star in the right system. But over time, the Bucks realized that the highs didn’t come often enough-and the lows could be costly, especially in the playoffs.
That’s why they moved on.
Defensively, the drop-off has been noticeable. Allen once ranked in the 92nd percentile in defensive rating with the Bucks-opponents scored 6.5 fewer points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor.
That kind of impact is hard to ignore. But this season, that number has plummeted to the 14th percentile.
That’s not just a dip-that’s a freefall. And while Allen isn’t solely to blame for Phoenix’s defensive struggles, he’s not helping to fix them either.
To be fair, Allen has carved out a solid NBA career. He’s lasted eight seasons in the league, and that’s no small feat.
He’s a capable shooter, a willing defender, and a guy who can swing a game or two when he gets hot. But for contending teams, that’s not always enough.
You need players who bring something every night, not just when the stars align.
The Suns are learning that lesson in real time. They gambled on Allen being more than a streaky shooter.
So far, that bet hasn’t paid off. And while there’s still time for him to find a rhythm, the clock is ticking on Phoenix’s championship window.
Milwaukee already saw this movie and decided to change the channel. They understood that when you’re chasing a title, you can’t afford to carry players who disappear when the lights get bright. Now it’s Phoenix’s turn to make that same tough call.
Allen’s not a bad player-far from it. But in a league where margins are razor-thin and every possession matters, “okay” just doesn’t cut it. Not when you're trying to hang banners.
Some players are what they are. And for Grayson Allen, that might mean being a solid rotation piece who occasionally catches fire-but not the difference-maker a contender needs.