The Phoenix Suns are staring at a first 10-game stretch that should tell us plenty, even if it still sits behind camp and preseason noise. Nothing in October is ever fully locked in - injuries can flip a matchup in a heartbeat - but the opening run still gives a useful look at the road ahead.
And this one is not exactly soft.
Phoenix opens with a schedule loaded with familiar names and plenty of home-court comfort. Seven of those first 10 games are in Phoenix, and four of the 10 come against Golden State and Portland, split between home and road. Every opponent in the stretch either reached the playoffs or the play-in last season, so there’s no easy breathing room baked in early.
There are also two back-to-backs, though both land inside a five-game homestand. That’s a little kinder than it could have been, but the Suns will still be dealing with a demanding run: five games in seven days.
Depth and conditioning are going to matter right away. The Magic and Clippers show up on the second night of those back-to-backs, which only raises the degree of difficulty.
That’s why a 5-5 start would make sense here. It wouldn’t be a reason to pop champagne, but it also wouldn’t be a disaster.
This is the awkward part of the season where everything feels oversized and every result gets overread. Getting through it with momentum intact matters more than declaring anything definitive in midstream.
Last season is a reminder of how slippery those early records can be. Phoenix opened 1-4, including a one-point loss to Memphis and an overtime loss to the Jazz on the road, before turning around and winning 10 of its next 12 games. By the time that stretch ended, the Suns were 11-6.
The bigger point is that the first 10 games rarely tell the whole story. Looking back over the past five seasons, the opening numbers don’t line up cleanly with how a team ultimately turns out.
Fast starts don’t guarantee much. Slow starts don’t doom anybody.
The early part of the schedule is its own strange little world.
That’s especially true now, with teams still sorting out new rosters and trying to figure out who they are while opponents are doing the same. The Suns at least have continuity and youthful legs on their side, along with that heavy home slate. If they can cash in early, they could build a cushion before the 82-game grind really starts biting.
In Other News...
Miles Bridges Changes The Suns Question Dillon Brooks Now Faces
Miles Bridges gives Phoenix a different kind of edge, and the early read on his fit is less about shot volume than how his presence could reshape the Suns offense. The move points the team toward more downhill attacking and more pressure at the rim, the sort of approach that can open up cleaner looks for everyone else and change the rhythm of the half-court. For a roster trying to find the right balance, that kind of addition matters as much for what it creates off the ball as for the points it directly brings.
Dillon Brooks is the one who may feel the ripple effect most. If Phoenix leans further into penetration and kickouts, the pecking order can shift quickly, and Brooks touch time and usage may not look the same as they did before the roster change. Nothing is settled yet, but the Suns now have a clearer question to answer about how much offense they want flowing through strength at the rim versus the perimeter shots and secondary chances that come with it. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Drama Just Dragged Two Former Suns Into A Mess
The Clippers are dealing with a mess that reaches well beyond the original salary-cap ruling, and it has now pulled two familiar Suns faces into the conversation. The NBAs punishment for circumventing the cap in the Kawhi Leonard saga was severe, with the team stripped of five future first-round picks and key figures including owner Steve Ballmer and president Lawrence Frank suspended, but the fallout has also sharpened attention on the players whose Clippers chapters never quite ended the way they were supposed to.
Chris Paul remains central to that frustration after being sent home early in the season, effectively closing the book on his run with Los Angeles, while Bradley Beals recent switch to No. 3 added another layer of noise. The number choice set off reactions from fans and brought a quick defense of Pauls legacy from Beal himself, a reminder that even a jersey change can turn into a referendum when the Clippers are already under the microscope. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Trades With Charlotte May Be Fueling A Twist Fans Wont Like
Phoenix has spent the past couple of seasons doing business with Charlotte in a way that has quietly reshaped both frontcourts. The Suns brought in Nick Richards, Mark Williams and Miles Bridges from the Hornets, moves that helped stock the roster with size and options up front while giving Charlotte a fresh batch of pieces to work with as it keeps tinkering with its own direction.
Now there is a new layer to watch, and it could give Suns fans pause. The Hornets have remained in the conversation for Domantas Sabonis, and the path to getting there may be tied to some of the very players Phoenix has already sent their way. Nothing is official, and Sabonis has not been moved, but the idea that the Suns' recent swaps could end up helping Charlotte chase a former All-Star adds an unexpected twist to a familiar trade partner relationship. [Read more 🡒]