The preseason always tempts fans into reading too much into every run, every lineup, every hot stretch. That part never really changes. And for the Suns, there’s plenty to watch over these five games, even if the whole exercise can feel a little excessive.
The biggest thing is rotation experimentation. Jordan Ott has a real chance here to tinker without the same pressure he faced last season, when he was a first-year head coach trying to install a system at the same time.
Now he has more room to work with lineups, test combinations, and make adjustments with less on his plate. Phoenix brings back 12 standard contract players from a year ago, along with the entire coaching staff, so the setup is a lot more stable.
The hope is simple: get the ball moving.
That first group will be worth watching closely, especially Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Miles Bridges. All three have spent much of their careers looking to score for themselves, but this system will only work if they’re willing to give a little.
They still need to attack. They still need to score.
But it has to happen within the offense, not outside of it. If that happens, and if Gillespie and Kennard are pushing things with Oso in the second unit, the Suns could create a real headache for opposing defenses.
The other big test is whether they keep doing the things they controlled well last season. Hustle.
Heart. Making the right play.
Giving a damn. Those were part of the reason Phoenix “stole” several wins a year ago by simply outworking teams, and that edge can’t disappear just because the roster and expectations have shifted.
Talent matters, but so does the willingness to do the dirty work.
Health is the one item that matters more than anything else. The Suns could go 0-5 and get blown out every night, and that would still be worth it if they come out of camp and preseason healthy by October 21st.
That’s the tradeoff. Everything else is secondary.
And then there’s the youth movement and the roster battles. Rasheer Fleming, Koa Peat, and Khaman Maluach all need real run.
So do the fringe players trying to carve out a spot or stick in the rotation. Ryan Dunn, Pat Spencer, Jamaree Bouyea, Haywood Highsmith, Duop Reath, Koby Brea, CJ Huntley - the group goes on and on.
Some of those jobs are secure, but others are hanging by a thread. That’s what makes this part of preseason so compelling, even when a big performance doesn’t guarantee anything.
Suns fans know that all too well after the Jared Butler and Jordan Goodwin situation, which set off plenty of uproar.
In Other News...
Suns Frontcourt Battle Is Putting Real Pressure On Oso Ighodaro
The Suns leaned into a three-guard look in preseason against the Detroit Pistons, but the bigger storyline sat in the frontcourt, where Oso Ighodaro got the start and Khaman Maluach continued making his case for a larger role. For a team still sorting out its rotation, that kind of competition matters, especially when the center spot can shape both the defense and the spacing around Phoenixs guards.
Maluach showed the kind of defensive presence that can change a coachs thinking, and he even flashed a bit more on offense with a three-point attempt. Nothing has been decided yet, and the Suns are not tipping their hand on any roster change, but the pressure is real for Ighodaro if Maluach keeps turning preseason minutes into evidence that he belongs in the starting conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Still Have A Few Preseason Battles That Matter Before Opening Night
The Suns still have a few preseason decisions to sort out before opening night, and some of them sit well beyond the top of the rotation. Pat Spencer, on a two-way contract, has been used in a limited role and looks like the kind of depth piece a team hopes it never has to lean on, but is glad to have around if injuries change the picture. For a roster still taking shape, every available minute has a little more meaning than usual.
Haywood Highsmiths rocky preseason debut did not settle anything, and the back end of the roster remains in motion as the staff keeps sorting through options. Ryan Dunn, meanwhile, has to do more to separate himself in the battle for playing time, with the Suns also weighing other young options as they try to find the right mix before the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Fans Get An Early Look At A Rotation Battle Taking Shape
The early preseason minutes already offered a clue about how Jordan Ott wants to sort through the Suns frontcourt, and the next test comes against Chicago after the loss to Detroit. Phoenix is still in the stage where lineup choices matter more for what they reveal than for what they decide, and the staff is using these exhibition games to get a better read on fit, rhythm and chemistry.
Ott is keeping the same starting group in place for a second straight game, a sign that the battle up front is far from settled even as roles begin to take shape. The plan also calls for the starters to log more time against the Bulls, giving the Suns a longer look at how the group functions together before the rotation starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]