Joe Mazzulla didn’t exactly take a shot at the Suns from Boston, but he did deliver a reminder that lands just as hard in October as it does in April: everybody feels good right now.
During recent media availability, the Celtics head coach gave a blunt little reality check when asked about the way teams look before the grind begins. As Noa Dalzell from CelticsBlog reported, Mazzulla said, "So you learn those things as the season goes on, and you just learn how to work through those things together... right now I would say all 30 teams feel great about themselves, and we got to wait until adversity hits."
That’s the part the Suns have to keep in mind as they head into a season where they need to top last year’s 45 wins. The mood in Phoenix is positive, but that’s the easy part. The real test comes when something goes sideways.
And there are plenty of places where that could happen.
Miles Bridges has started his Suns run strongly, but he already has a mild ankle issue that kept him out of the recent win over the San Antonio Spurs. If that lingers, the price Phoenix paid to get him - Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, and a precious 2033 unprotected first-round pick - will come right back under the microscope.
The same goes for Jalen Green, who dealt with hamstring problems that began in Macau during preseason last year and never fully disappeared. Phoenix has been here before, and that history makes any setback feel a little more ominous.
Then there’s the fit question. If Green’s time as a point guard alongside Devin Booker doesn’t produce the kind of results the Suns want, that’s a problem in itself.
If Booker can’t hold up as one of the 15 best players in the league anymore, that’s a much bigger one. Either way, the margin for error shrinks fast.
Dillon Brooks is another reason the Suns have reason to feel good right now. He’s been their best player for a minute and is playing the best two-way basketball of his career. But a drop-off from that level would hit hard for a team counting on him for 20 points a night, elite defense, and the kind of edge that gets under opponents’ skin.
Mark Williams brings another layer of uncertainty. He can be easy to overlook now that Khaman Maluach has suddenly emerged alongside Oso Ighodaro, but Williams was brought back this offseason to be the force in the paint while Maluach is eased in slowly. If Williams is out all season and the current center rotation struggles, that optimism around Maluach and Ighodaro could disappear quickly.
Even with all of that in view, the Suns are still in a good place. They’ve built depth that reaches to two-way players like Pat Spencer, and they have a top-10 defense in place under head coach Jordan Ott. That gives them a real chance to survive the rough patches.
But Mazzulla’s point still hangs over everything. It’s October.
The smiles are easy. The questions come later.
In Other News...
Suns Suddenly Face Real Doubt After Their Risky Offseason
The Suns spent the summer trying to double down on talent and patience at the same time, a tricky balance for any team that believes its window still matters. Bringing in Miles Bridges and locking in Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks signaled a front office intent on staying aggressive, even as the roster continued to look like one built for urgency more than certainty.
John Hollingers recent forecast only sharpened the unease, with Phoenix pegged for a tie for ninth in the West and more questions than comfort around where this group is headed next. Mark Williams torn labrum adds another layer of concern, because for a team already carrying real risk in its offseason choices, health may end up being the thing that decides whether the gamble pays off or starts to unravel. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Taking No Chances With Miles Bridges Before Opening Night
Miles Bridges ankle injury has the Suns in a cautious place this preseason, but not an alarmed one. Head coach Jordan Ott said the ankle is recovering well, and the team is making it clear there is no reason to hurry him back before the games start to count. The issue is not expected to linger for multiple weeks, and the early read is that Bridges should be in position for the regular-season opener on Oct. 21.
For Phoenix, the patience makes sense because Bridges offers a mix of size, athleticism and offensive versatility that is hard to replace if the team pushes too hard too soon. The Suns also know what still needs to sharpen on his end, with defense remaining a point of emphasis, so getting him back healthy matters more than forcing a preseason return. For now, the story is less about a setback than a team choosing the long view with one of its more interesting two-way pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Khaman Maluach Could Be The Suns Wrinkle Devin Booker Needs
Devin Bookers preseason has already offered a familiar reminder of how much Phoenix still leans on his shot-making, even when the jumper isnt falling. Through two losses, he has made just one of 12 three-point attempts, a stretch that has only sharpened the focus on how the Suns can make life easier for their best scorer when defenses load up and the floor tightens.
Khaman Maluach is one of the more interesting answers in that discussion. The rookie big has flashed as a floor-spacing option, and that kind of skill can matter quickly for a team trying to open driving lanes and restore some offensive balance around Booker. If Maluach keeps showing that he can stretch the floor and hold his own, he could start working his way into more minutes as Phoenix looks for a better fit around its star guard. [Read more 🡒]