The Suns may be trying to climb beyond last season’s 45 wins and surprise playoff trip, but not everybody in Phoenix is heading into training camp with the same outlook. Two players look ready for bigger responsibilities, while two others appear destined to spend most of their nights waiting for the clock to run out.
Collin Gillespie is the clearest case for an expanded job. Phoenix handed him a four-year, $48 million extension this offseason after two years of blood, sweat, and tears, and that deal feels earned. Even so, it does not point to him taking over a starting spot.
The bigger issue is the backcourt fit. Devin Booker and Jalen Green cannot really share the floor in a way that makes sense, which puts Gillespie in line to matter more, not less.
If he is not starting, he should at least be closing games with Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Miles Bridges. He can be targeted because of his size on defense, but the Suns look better when he is steering the offense and letting Booker work more off the ball to score.
Oso Ighodaro is in a similar position, and maybe even more important. With Mark Williams injured and Duop Reath viewed as a third-string center, Phoenix has a real opening for Ighodaro to claim his biggest role yet. He can start at either the four or the five depending on the matchup, and the Suns can even run offense through him in short stretches.
That matters because he gives them something the rest of the frontcourt does not: a springy, athletic presence who handles the little things that help an offense function. Khaman Maluach is only 20 and not ready for prime time just yet, and Phoenix does not have another player who does what Ighodaro does while looking comfortable with added responsibility. Of the four players in this discussion, he may be the most important.
Ryan Dunn, on the other hand, looks squeezed out. Williams’ injury gave him one more chance to save his career, but the roster has moved past whatever upside he still has. Bridges, Brooks, Oso Ighodaro, Rasheer Fleming, Khaman Maluach, incoming rookie Koa Peat, and even Duop Reath are all fighting for frontcourt minutes now.
Dunn simply does not fit cleanly into that mix. He has not been steady enough as a 3-point shooter to sneak into lineups as a defensive-minded guard-wing hybrid, especially when Jordan Goodwin already fills that role and has the numbers to back it up. If the Suns are trying to win, Dunn should be on the court only when the game is already out of reach.
Jamaree Bouyea lands in the same garbage-time bucket, though in a different way. His presence on this list is actually a good sign for Phoenix, because it speaks to the depth on the roster. He had some impressive stretches last season, but he is still behind Gillespie and Goodwin.
And both of those guards are stuck behind Green and, to a lesser extent, Booker. Pat Spencer is also in the picture. If Bouyea is playing only when the game is decided, that means the Suns are healthy - and it also means Gillespie and Goodwin are still better options, both of them having been rewarded with extensions this summer.
In Other News...
Suns Are Asking Fans To Believe In A Core That Already Failed
After a rough finish to last season, the Suns are leaning into continuity with a roster that still looks very much in flux. The front office already made a series of moves around the edges, trading away Grayson Allen and Royce ONeale while bringing back Dillon Brooks, Jordan Goodwin and Collin Gillespie, then adding Miles Bridges to the mix.
The bigger question is whether that collection can actually function better than the group that faded after Feb. 5 and then got swept in the playoffs. Injuries and fit issues have already raised concerns, and Jalen Green in particular stands out as a swing piece for how competitive this team can be going forward, which leaves Phoenix asking fans to trust a core that has not yet earned it. [Read more 🡒]
Mat Ishbia Just Sent Suns Fans A Huge Message About This Team
Mat Ishbia used media day to send a clear signal about where he sees the Suns going, and how long he expects to be part of it. The owner said financial issues at his company, United Wholesale Mortgage, will not change his commitment to the franchise, and he reiterated his willingness to keep paying the luxury tax if that is what it takes to support a winning team.
For Suns fans, the bigger message was stability at the top. Ishbia said he intends to stay involved for decades, and he also plans to keep increasing his ownership stake with his family. In a league where ownership uncertainty can hang over a roster, Phoenix at least heard its biggest stakeholder say he is not looking for a short-term run. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Face A Tough Frontcourt Choice After Mark Williams Injury
Mark Williams shoulder injury has left the Suns sorting through a frontcourt spot that suddenly feels a lot more important. Phoenix already has 15 players on standard contracts, so any addition has to fit neatly into a roster that is being managed closely as the team tries to stay competitive and keep enough size on hand.
One option under consideration is Duop Reath on a two-way contract, a move that would give the Suns extra center depth while letting him split time between Phoenix and the G League affiliate. The appeal is obvious for a team trying to patch a position without creating bigger roster ripples, and the Suns are weighing that route alongside the other two-way pieces already in place. [Read more 🡒]