Miles Bridges is set to open the season in the Phoenix Suns’ starting lineup, but he may not get to settle in without a fight.
The Suns paid a steep price to bring in the former Charlotte Hornets forward, sending out Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and, for some reason, an unprotected first-round pick in 2033. That kind of move was not made for Bridges to come off the bench on opening night, so he should begin at power forward. Still, his place in the rotation could get complicated fast.
On paper, the fit alongside Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green gives Phoenix enough defense and spacing to make it work. Add Devin Booker, though, and the group starts to look a little undersized and easier to attack. That is where the pressure on Bridges begins.
Rookie Koa Peat already flashed at Summer League that he is willing to take on bigger matchups, use his strong frame to battle in the paint and crash the glass. He may make the spacing picture messier, but his rebounding and defensive effort could earn him minutes quickly, especially with Jordan Ott as head coach. If Peat keeps prioritizing offensive rebounding the way he has, there is a good chance he gets rewarded for it.
Bridges was brought in to help shoulder the scoring burden with Booker and Brooks, but Peat could make a case that he is the better defender and therefore deserves more run.
And Peat is not the only rookie pushing for playing time. Rasheer Fleming is also making noise.
He closed his rookie season by hitting a couple of 3-pointers in a playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and while he is not yet a plus defender, the Suns see real scoring upside at all three levels. He fits more naturally as a traditional four, and he has already shown more growth in Las Vegas after a rookie year in which he improved despite limited minutes.
Phoenix is trying to win now, and Bridges is supposed to help with that. But the Suns would be making a mistake if they shut Fleming out completely, because he looks like someone who could be part of the franchise’s long-term answer.
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