Phoenix has every reason to be careful with Miles Bridges right now.
The Suns got a brief look at what the four-man group of Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Bridges could look like in preseason, and that first opportunity came in the opener against the Detroit Pistons. Bridges flashed the kind of all-around impact Phoenix wanted when it brought him in, helping around the rim and as a playmaker before the injury interrupted things.
That setback brought a familiar kind of concern, but head coach Jordan Ott made it clear after Monday’s practice that the team is not interested in forcing the issue.
“I think the ankle is recovering at a good rate, but that's the one where we're not going to press,” he explained after Monday's practice. That's the one we're not gonna press on if it's not perfect.”
The injury has not been reported as an ankle sprain or anything that would keep him out for multiple weeks. In a regular-season setting, the approach might be different, but with the preseason serving as the backdrop, Phoenix has no reason to take unnecessary chances.
Bridges still matters in a big way for this roster. The Suns have wing depth, but he gives them something different with his combination of size, athleticism and offensive flexibility.
Defense may end up being the bigger conversation. At media day, Bridges said it is a major emphasis for him, particularly his ability to defend multiple spots and switch onto perimeter players and some post options.
If his ankle continues to heal the way Ott described, Bridges should be ready by the Suns’ first regular-season game on October 21. The only remaining question is how quickly he gets back to full game speed once he returns. For Phoenix, the priority is simpler than that: get him healthy, and keep him that way.
In Other News...
Luke Kennard Is Giving The Suns More Than They Expected On The Wing
Grayson Allen set a pretty specific benchmark for the Suns wing spot during his three seasons in Phoenix, giving them steady spacing, a reliable scoring punch and the kind of perimeter production that fit cleanly into the rotation. Luke Kennard has stepped into that conversation quickly in preseason, and the early returns have suggested he can offer more than just another shooting threat. In three games, he has averaged 12.3 points while also showing he can help organize the offense some, handing out 10 assists against 3 turnovers.
Kennards appeal to the Suns goes beyond whether he can chase Allens old role one for one. The shooting profile is different, the volume is different and the style is different, but Phoenix has already seen enough to know he can add layers to the wing group instead of simply blending into it. For a team looking for dependable spacing and a little extra creation, that makes the rest of his preseason worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Khaman Maluach Is Giving The Suns A Real Frontcourt Decision
Khaman Maluachs preseason has given the Suns something they did not necessarily expect this soon: a real conversation in the middle of the frontcourt. With Mark Williams sidelined for several months, the rookie center has stepped into a far bigger role than planned, and his recent work has done more than just keep the spot warm. A 10-point, 15-rebound outing against the Spurs only added to the sense that Phoenix has found a young big man who can handle real minutes right away.
Jordan Ott and Dillon Brooks have both praised Maluachs performance and progress, and that matters in a camp where opportunity is open but trust still has to be earned. The question now is not whether the Suns like what they have seen, but how far they are willing to go with it when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Kennard Is Giving The Suns A Reason To Believe In This Fit
Luke Kennard has given the Suns something to feel good about in the preseason, and that matters for a team trying to sort out its rotation before the games count. With Devin Booker out of the lineup, Kennard has stepped into a starting role and shown why Phoenix wanted him in the mix, bringing the kind of shooting and secondary creation that can fit next to the Suns core.
The larger expectation, though, is that Kennards value will come when he shifts back to the bench and settles into a reserve role. Phoenix is counting on him to stretch the floor and handle a little playmaking in those second-unit minutes, and his early comfort level has made that plan look more promising than it might have seemed on paper. The real test comes once the rotation tightens and the regular season begins. [Read more 🡒]