The Suns’ young core is starting to feel less like a side note and more like a real piece of the franchise’s next chapter. With Phoenix trying to build around Devin Booker, the 2026-27 season could be a defining one for several of these players, especially as a few of them push toward bigger roles.
There are three players on the roster who are 24 - Jalen Green, Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro - but the spotlight here is on Phoenix’s five players who are 23 and under and still have plenty to prove. The group includes some clear upside, but also plenty of questions that only NBA minutes can answer.
Koby Brea flashed one obvious calling card last season. In just 12 games, he knocked down 43.3% of his 3-point attempts, which is the kind of shooting that gets attention fast.
Now heading into his second season on a two-way deal after going 41st overall in 2025, he’ll need more than touch to carve out real rotation time. The next hurdle is showing he can help defensively and make plays for others, not just space the floor.
Then there’s Khaman Maluach, who suddenly has a much bigger opening after Mark Williams’ shoulder injury. After a dominant Summer League, Maluach is expected to take on a major role after Phoenix barely used him as a rookie while focusing on his development.
If his physical gifts and outside shot start to sync up, the Suns may have something far bigger on their hands. Even so, the timeline still matters here.
Koa Peat is another name whose stock could rise quickly. The 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward was taken 30th overall in June after Phoenix traded up, and Williams’ injury could create a lane for him to see real minutes if the Suns lean smaller.
Peat brings an old-school skillset, plus the kind of physical tools and winning mentality that can earn trust fast. The outside shot will be a key swing skill if he’s going to climb this list in a hurry.
Ryan Dunn’s second season didn’t deliver the offensive jump many expected. His scoring dipped from 6.9 points per game as a rookie to 5.8 last season, and he didn’t settle in as a reliable catch-and-shoot threat or a creator with the ball.
Still, his defense keeps him in the conversation. If the offense comes around, there’s a real path to a meaningful leap.
If not, he could wind up squeezed out of the rotation altogether in 2026-27.
The most intriguing flashes may have come from Rasheer Fleming. Even though coach Jordan Ott didn’t show much trust in him last year, Fleming’s 6-foot-9, 240-pound frame and 7-foot-5 wingspan give him obvious appeal.
He also made noticeable progress as a 3-point shooter as the season went on. If he keeps building confidence from deep and tightens up his defensive mistakes, he could become a real weapon for Phoenix for a long time.
In Other News...
Suns Suddenly Face A Center Decision They May Not Escape
Mark Williams injury has quickly turned a preseason concern into a real roster issue for the Suns, whose center depth was already thin enough to draw attention. With limited financial flexibility and a frontcourt that now leans on Khaman Maluach, Oso Ighodaro and CJ Huntley, Phoenix is suddenly looking at a position group that could be tested far earlier than it wanted.
The next move is not obvious, and that is what makes this worth watching. The Suns are considering whether to add a free agent center, but they may also give the group some runway and revisit the market in January after seeing more from their young bigs and getting a better read on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Suddenly Had A Frontcourt Problem They Couldnt Ignore
A frontcourt injury forced the Suns to move quickly, and the answer is a familiar name to people who have followed the organizations depth-chasing for a while. Phoenix is signing center Duop Reath after Mark Williams went down with a shoulder injury, giving the team another big body to help stabilize the rotation while it sorts through the early-season fallout. Reath, who spent time overseas before making his NBA debut with Portland in the 2023-24 season, gives the Suns an experienced option at a position that suddenly needed one.
For Phoenix, the timing matters as much as the addition itself. The Suns are counting on Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro to carry most of the center minutes, but injuries can change that picture fast, especially when a team is already trying to build out its interior depth. Reaths arrival at least keeps the Suns from having to lean too heavily on the same two names, and it raises the next question the team will have to answer as the frontcourt picture settles: how much more of the season will it need to cover there, and by whom? [Read more 🡒]
Suns Just Sent Another Message About Their Crowded Backcourt
The Suns have continued trimming the edges of their roster with training camp still taking shape, and the latest move keeps the focus on a backcourt that already looks crowded. Jordan Schakel, a guard with limited NBA experience, was waived from his Exhibit 10 contract after spending time in the G League and overseas, a familiar sort of transaction for a team trying to sort out its guard depth and developmental pipeline.
Schakels next stop is expected to be the Valley Suns for the upcoming season, which fits the pattern Phoenix has leaned on for players who still have something to prove in its system. For a team balancing immediate rotation concerns with long-term depth, these decisions can be easy to miss, but they often say plenty about where the organization sees the most competition and where it wants to keep a close eye on players closest to the next call-up. [Read more 🡒]