The Suns’ 2026-27 schedule is out, and the first thing worth noting is how quickly the calendar starts asking questions of Phoenix.
There’s a strong early cushion built into the month of November. From November 4 through November 15, the Suns will be at home for seven straight games, with Portland, Orlando, Houston, San Antonio, the Los Angeles Clippers, Charlotte, and the Los Angeles Lakers coming through Phoenix. That’s the kind of stretch that can settle a team in, and for the Suns it arrives before the grind of the back half of the season starts pressing down.
That late stretch is where things get heavy. Phoenix’s longest road trip runs from March 8 through March 17, a six-game swing that takes the Suns to Miami, Orlando, Chicago, Charlotte, and Memphis before wrapping up on St.
Patrick’s Day against the Los Angeles Lakers. March is the busiest month on the board by a mile, with 17 games packed into 31 days.
The final weeks look especially unforgiving. Even after that seven-game homestand in March, the Suns still finish with five of their last seven games on the road, including the season finale at the Lakers on April 11.
And before that, Phoenix gets hit with a brutal late run against Oklahoma City and San Antonio. The Suns will play the Thunder in consecutive games on back-to-back nights, both in Phoenix, then a few days later face the Spurs twice on the road with one day between those games.
That’s a nasty way to close, especially with both teams projected to be near the top of the Western Conference standings.
There’s also the matter of volume. Phoenix has 13 back-to-backs, which is tied for the fewest in the NBA this season.
Brooklyn and New Orleans lead the league with 16. Of the Suns’ 13, five are home-to-home, four are road-to-road, and four start at home before the team heads out.
Notably, there isn’t a single back-to-back where Phoenix plays on the road and then comes home the next night.
The Suns also have four instances of facing the same opponent in consecutive games. Two of those come at the end of the season, adding even more weight to that closing stretch. Depending on where Phoenix sits in the standings, those games could matter a great deal.
National exposure is limited, too. The Suns have nine games on the big stage this season.
A few other schedule quirks stand out. Phoenix has a back-to-back on December 30 and 31, which means New Year’s Eve will be spent in New York after the Knicks game. The earliest tip of the season comes on Super Bowl Sunday, when the Suns host the Cleveland Cavaliers at 11 AM Phoenix time on February 14 before heading to Washington the next night.
The bigger picture is pretty clear: the Suns get a chance to build something early, but the schedule turns demanding in a hurry once March and April arrive. That opening seven-game homestand may end up being one of the most important stretches on the entire slate.
In Other News...
Suns Just Created Roster Flexibility Fans Will Want To Watch
The Suns have opened up a little more breathing room by moving on from veteran wing Haywood Highsmith, a decision that trims both their salary cap burden and luxury tax bill. Highsmiths contract was only partially guaranteed, and after he missed much of last season following knee surgery, Phoenix had some flexibility in deciding whether to keep him around or use the spot elsewhere.
If he clears waivers, Highsmith will hit unrestricted free agency, and the Suns will be left with 14 players on standard contracts. For a roster still taking shape, that matters because every open path can influence what Phoenix does next, whether it is preserving flexibility for later or creating room to react if another opportunity presents itself. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Schedule Sets Up A Fast Start With Bigger Tests Waiting
The Suns now know what the 2026-27 season will look like on paper, and the early read is encouraging. Phoenix released its schedule, giving the team and its fans a first look at the back-to-backs, homestands and showcase dates that will shape the year, along with the kind of marquee matchups that tend to define the league's calendar. With All-Star Weekend set for Phoenix, there is a little extra spotlight built into the season before the games even start.
What stands out is how quickly the schedule can sharpen from manageable to demanding. The Suns have a run of notable opponents and primetime spots scattered through the year, which should give this roster plenty of chances to measure itself against the league's best while also navigating the usual grind of travel and short rest. The first month looks set up to help Phoenix get moving, but the real question is how the schedule will test them once the season settles into its hardest stretch. [Read more 🡒]