The NBA’s return on Wednesday offered a rough reminder of where the Phoenix Suns stand, but it also pointed to a path they can use to get the most out of Luke Kennard. The template came from the Detroit Pistons, who found a way to squeeze plenty of offense out of Duncan Robinson by putting the right pieces around him.
That idea matters for Phoenix because Kennard is expected to fit a similar role once he’s available. There’s even a chance he misses the opener against the Portland Trail Blazers. And when he does get back, he’ll be coming off the bench, unlike Robinson, who was plugged in with the Pistons’ top players from the jump and shielded on defense.
Robinson made the most of it, finishing with 21 points, just one behind Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, and knocking down 5-of-9 from 3-point range. Kennard, meanwhile, was already a volume threat last season when he led the league by hitting 47.8 percent from deep on about three attempts per game. Jordan Ott has already made it clear that Kennard should take even more threes this season.
The Suns are planning to use Kennard on shots that opened up after Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale left, but the key is making sure those looks come naturally within the offense. Kennard isn’t a strong defender, and while Robinson is also no stopper, he’s bigger and a touch better on that end. That’s why lineups featuring Dillon Brooks, Khaman Maluach, and Jordan Goodwin stand out as a clean way to keep Kennard on the floor while letting him space things out.
There are other possibilities too. Oso Ighodaro is an intriguing option, and Jamaree Bouyea or even Miles Bridges could help in the same way. Duop Reath and Drew Timme would also create room for Kennard offensively, but that kind of alignment would leave the Suns exposed defensively and underline how shaky their frontcourt depth can be.
Kennard is still a luxury piece, and not every opponent will let Phoenix use him freely. Across his career, he has averaged just over 23 minutes a game, while Robinson logged 28 in the loss to the Boston Celtics.
That difference matters. It’s the gap between being passable on defense and being completely targeted.
Even so, Kennard remains one of the best offseason additions around the league. Ott is going to have to adjust certain lineups to maximize what Kennard does best while masking what he doesn’t.
The Pistons figured it out. The Suns can, too.
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Bookers Rough Suns Opener Already Has Fans Fired Up
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What followed was less about rhythm and more about edge, with multiple on-court confrontations between Booker and Morant that included a physical brush and verbal back-and-forths. The situation escalated enough to bring double technical fouls, and for Suns fans trying to size up what this team looks like in a new season, the night already carried the kind of tension that can linger long after the final buzzer. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Fans Already Have A Brutal New Reason To Hate This Trade
The first night of the season did not give Suns fans much reason for optimism, and Miles Bridges only added to the unease. Acquired in a trade that cost Phoenix an unprotected first-round pick, he managed just eight points on rough shooting in the opening loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, a debut that landed far short of what the team needed from him right away.
For a franchise already under pressure to prove its roster can hold together, the problem is bigger than one bad box score. The deal not only put more attention on how the Suns are building around the current core, it also tied a valuable future draft asset to a performance that left plenty of questions hanging early. [Read more 🡒]
Suns May Be Better But The West Just Got Tougher
The Suns head into the new season with a familiar core and a few additions that should help on both ends of the floor, which gives them a reasonable case for being better than they were a year ago. Continuity matters in the NBA, especially for a team trying to stack wins in a conference where every edge can matter, and Phoenix is banking on its returning pieces settling in quickly.
The problem is the rest of the West did not sit still. Several rivals made major moves, and others are getting key players back from injury, which means the path for Phoenix could be steeper even if the roster itself is improved. For a team with bigger ambitions, the question is not only whether the Suns got better, but whether that will be enough in a conference that suddenly feels even more crowded. [Read more 🡒]