The Suns’ 1-3 start has exposed a roster problem that goes beyond one bad night in the Emirates NBA Cup loss to the Denver Nuggets. Phoenix has settled into a 10-man rotation under Jordan Ott, but the group still isn’t close to the defensive standard it needs. Even more damaging, the roster is crowded with players who offer the same strengths and, just as importantly, the same weaknesses.
That issue shows up in the backcourt and on the bench. Collin Gillespie has become a major part of the second unit, and plenty of fans would rather see him in the starting lineup instead of Jalen Green. But Gillespie comes with clear defensive limitations, which makes the decision to use a valuable two-way spot on Pat Spencer even harder to justify.
Jordan Goodwin gives the Suns something useful every night as a big, defensive-minded guard off the bench. But he also fits the same general mold as Gillespie, which leaves Phoenix with more overlap than variety.
The front office added Jamaree Bouyea, a reclamation project who has gone beyond expectations, but he too shares a similar body type with Goodwin, even if his offensive bursts are stronger. Goodwin and Bouyea have worked together and found success, but that pairing only goes so far when other weak points keep getting targeted.
Green is the clearest example of the problem. He shares the backcourt with Devin Booker, who can do many of the same things at a higher level. Neither player is a true playmaker, despite Ott’s view of Green, and that has fed the biggest issue facing the Suns right now: they do not have a real point guard to steady and organize the offense.
If Phoenix is going to patch those holes, it may need to lean harder into the players who actually bring something different. Ryan Dunn stands out because nobody else on the roster really looks like him, and he is an above-average defender. Rookie Koa Peat fits that description too, though expecting him to make a meaningful impact right now is a big ask.
Oso Ighodaro is another unique piece, offering two-way experience and athleticism at center that the Suns badly need. He is not at the level required for a deep playoff run, but his value to this team is obvious. The Suns have built a roster with too many duplicates of their best players, and that overlap is now making it much harder to win.
In Other News...
Suns Enter Nuggets Matchup With A Problem Fans Can Feel
The Suns head into their matchup with Denver carrying a roster issue that has been hard to ignore, and it is the kind of problem fans can spot even before tipoff. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported internal frustration over the lack of a true point guard, a concern that has hovered around the team as it tries to find a steadier rhythm on offense.
Phoenix will also have to manage that issue while dealing with another absence, with starting center Mark Williams sidelined. Denver brings its own injury questions into the game, listing two players as questionable and two out, and the Nuggets have a little extra incentive with a chance to move their record above .500. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Already Have A Defensive Problem They Can't Ignore
The early returns on defense have been rough enough to demand attention, and the Suns have spent recent practices trying to clean up the issues before they harden into a bigger problem. Through the first three games of the season, Phoenix has sat last in defensive rating and has allowed opponents to shoot the highest three-point percentage in the league, a troubling start for a team that knows it cannot afford to give away easy looks.
Jordan Ott and the players have made the focus clear: better effort, sharper communication and more physical play on that end of the floor. Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges and Khaman Maluach have all acknowledged the need for improvement, and the timing matters with the Denver Nuggets up next, a matchup that will quickly show whether the Suns' defensive emphasis is starting to stick. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Have Reached A Devin Booker Debate Fans Dread
The Suns have reached the kind of uneasy place where even a star like Devin Booker can become part of the conversation around what comes next. With the team struggling and the locker room already described as unsettled, the noise around Phoenix has grown loud enough that outside voices are now floating ideas that would have sounded unthinkable not long ago. One of those came from Bill Simmons, who suggested on his podcast that a Booker-for-Bam Adebayo swap could help both Phoenix and Miami.
It is the sort of debate Suns fans dread because it forces a hard look at where the franchise stands right now and what kind of reset might actually make sense. Booker remains the face of the team, but the broader question is whether Phoenix can keep building around him as constructed, or whether the pressure around the roster has reached a point where even a player of his stature gets dragged into trade speculation. For now, there is no official move or confirmation, just a conversation that says plenty about how far the Suns have fallen into uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]