The Phoenix Suns have spent this summer preaching patience, continuity and the idea that roster building has to last longer than one splashy move. For now, they’ve mostly backed that up by extending several players. But if another star becomes available, the Suns have set themselves up to make a real run at him.
That’s the position they’re in after the move involving Dillon Brooks, and the ripple effect matters. The thinking around the league is that the Suns traded for Miles Bridges with the intention of giving him an extension, and if that happens, it opens up a path to bigger swings later.
A package built around Bridges and Brooks - or even Jalen Green on his current deal - can line up with a lot of star salaries. If Phoenix wants to chase another headline name, it should have the financial flexibility to do it.
That kind of possibility is easy to imagine after last season’s surprise. The Suns won 45 games and made the playoffs against expectations, which gave the season a feel-good edge.
But in a league this competitive, that kind of momentum can disappear fast. If Phoenix starts sliding toward the Play-In and Bridges doesn’t become the offensive answer at the four that some are projecting, the excitement could cool in a hurry.
The bigger picture still points to temptation. Devin Booker is nearing 30, the Suns are still chasing a title after a long drought, and the lure of pushing in again for a superstar will be there whenever one of the league’s disgruntled names asks out. That cycle keeps repeating, and Phoenix now has the means to join the bidding.
At the same time, the Suns have to be careful not to repeat the mistakes that came with Kevin Durant. Things fell apart badly with Durant in town, and the team scrambled for fixes that didn’t work.
Jusuf Nurkic was one of the worst of those answers, and the second apron remains a real constraint after hurting the Suns before. That part of the story hasn’t gone away.
Brooks matters here, too. He’s their culture-setter and could still become an All-Star, which is exactly why he’s not the kind of piece you hand over casually just to chase a bigger name. The Houston Rockets know that now after the way last season ended for them.
So the Suns are in a tricky but useful spot. The next couple of years should bring opportunities, and when they do, Phoenix has to decide whether the deal is actually worth it. The lesson from Durant and Beal is simple: building smart matters more than chasing the biggest name on the board.
In Other News...
Dillon Brooks Just Gave Suns Fans Another Reason To Believe
Dillon Brooks has quickly become one of the more interesting pieces in Phoenixs mix, and now he is sticking around for the long haul. After helping the Suns push toward the 2025-26 postseason alongside Devin Booker and Jalen Green, Brooks agreed to a new deal that gives the franchise some stability around a player whose edge and two-way presence have fit neatly into the rotation.
Jordan Ott has already pointed to Brooks leadership and work ethic as reasons the Suns value him so highly, and the extension only deepens that trust. Brooks has made it clear where his priorities sit as Phoenix tries to keep climbing, and the real intrigue now is how far that mindset can carry a group trying to turn recent progress into something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
NBA 2K Just Gave Suns Fans A New Devin Booker Debate
With NBA 2K27 set to arrive on Sept. 4, and early access for deluxe editions beginning Aug. 28, the annual ratings cycle is already stirring up the usual arguments. Visual Concepts has started rolling out player lists, and one of the most talked-about early reveals is the top 10 midrange shooters, a category that always feels tailor-made for a Suns conversation.
Devin Bookers omission from that group is the kind of snub that jumps off the page in Phoenix, especially after he put up strong midrange volume and efficiency last season. Seeing Tre Johnson make the list instead only sharpens the debate, because it leaves Suns fans wondering how one of the leagues cleanest midrange scorers can be left out of a category that he has helped define. [Read more 🡒]