Miles Bridges said exactly the kind of thing Suns fans wanted to hear at Phoenix Suns media day.
When Bridges talked about wanting to be “matchup nightmares” with Dillon Brooks, it landed as more than a catchy line. For a team trying to build an identity on the defensive end, that kind of commitment matters.
Brooks already has a reputation as one of the league’s most irritating defenders, and Bridges saying he wants to reach that level beside him is a meaningful signal. If that happens, Phoenix suddenly looks a lot tougher to deal with on that end of the floor.
It would also take some pressure off Khaman Maluach, who won’t need to be forced into carrying too much too soon. And it would give the Suns a better balance in the starting group, which is especially important with Jalen Green in the mix.
That’s because there’s only so much room for everybody to score. Bridges, Brooks, Green, and Devin Booker have all had stretches over the last two seasons where they put up more than 20 points a night. The Suns are going to need Bridges to adjust what he brings if this lineup is going to work the way they want.
It matters even more because Green has never been an above-average defender. He spent the summer working with Steve Nash to make the fit with Booker more seamless, and that kind of development is just as important as Bridges buying into the defensive side.
There’s already reason to think Brooks could bring out more from Bridges. A year ago, Bridges called Collin Gillespie “Villain Jr.”, which showed how eager he was to embrace a defensive supporting role.
This time, the ask is bigger. He has to be a true co-star on that end with Brooks.
That’s the version of Bridges Phoenix needs if the Suns are going to have any real shot at winning more than 45 games and getting back to the playoffs.
Coach Ott has made defense the foundation of the team’s identity, and Bridges, as the starting four, sits right at the center of that plan. He’ll still need to score at close to the same level he has in the past, too, because the Suns don’t have a ton of proven scoring around Booker.
In Other News...
Rasheer Fleming Is Giving The Suns A Reason To Believe
Rasheer Fleming is starting to look like one of those prospects who earns his keep the old-fashioned way, by showing up, putting in the work and letting his body and tools do the talking. For the Suns, that matters. Head coach Jordan Ott and teammates have taken notice of the second-year forwards physical gifts and the steady growth that has followed, and there is a growing sense that Phoenix may have something worth developing for the 2026-27 season.
Flemings path only adds to the appeal. He was not a heavily recruited high school player, which makes his rise feel less like a sure thing and more like a player who has had to build his way into the conversation. His ceiling is still hard to pin down, but the Suns have reason to believe he can grow into a useful rotational piece if the development keeps trending in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Are Asking Khaman Maluach For More Than They Wanted
With limited future assets and a mandate to stay competitive around Devin Booker, the Suns are treating Khaman Maluach less like a slow-burn project and more like a player they may need sooner than planned. The second-year center logged only limited minutes as a rookie, but his Summer League showing offered enough promise to keep him in the middle of the conversation as Phoenix maps out its frontcourt plans.
Booker has already been supportive of Maluachs development, and the Suns appear willing to bet on the young big man in a larger role if he can handle it. The question now is whether Maluach can absorb everything that comes with starting on a team trying to win right away, because Phoenix does not have much margin for error if he is not ready. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Should Avoid One Backcourt Mistake Around Devin Booker
Training camp has already nudged the Suns point guard picture into focus, and the front office has at least added another name to the mix with Kennedy Chandler on a training camp deal. Around Devin Booker, Phoenix is trying to sort through a backcourt that still needs to make sense on the fly, with the roster carrying more questions about fit than certainty as the season approaches.
Rob Dillingham has been floated as a possible answer in some circles, but the more practical path for Phoenix appears to be staying with the guards already in the building and avoiding a move that does not clearly raise the level of the group. Jordan Goodwin fits that conversation better, while Collin Gillespie remains part of the backup mix, and the Suns can only benefit if the next decision is about clarity rather than chasing another name that complicates the rotation. [Read more 🡒]