The Phoenix Suns have reasons to believe another step forward is there in 2026-27, even if the early forecasts aren’t exactly buying in yet.
After a surprising 45-37 finish in Jordan Ott’s first season, Phoenix kept most of its core intact. The Suns signed Dillon Brooks, Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams and Jordan Goodwin to new long-term deals, then made a few notable changes around the edges by adding Miles Bridges, Luke Kennard and Koa Peat while moving on from Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale.
One of the biggest swing pieces is Bridges. Phoenix paid a steep price to get him, and the expectation is that he settles in as the fifth starter after the Suns spent last season without a true starting power forward.
The fit is still a real question. Bridges is another ball-dominant scorer, and he doesn’t shoot the three particularly well, which puts him alongside Devin Booker, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks in a lineup that will have to make the pieces fit.
If it does work, though, the ceiling changes fast.
The Suns also need Kennard and Collin Gillespie to help replace what Allen and O’Neale brought. That means spacing the floor, being willing to fire from deep, and keeping the ball moving inside the system.
Koa Peat could become a useful depth option in time, but likely not right away. And there’s another layer of upside in Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach, both of whom are positioned for potential sophomore jumps after limited rookie roles.
Their size and athletic tools could matter a lot if they’re ready for bigger minutes.
The rest of the Western Conference gives Phoenix some room to climb, too. Outside of the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, the teams ahead of the Suns in the 2025-26 standings all come with clear concerns.
The Denver Nuggets lost depth with Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valančiūnas gone, and they’re the league’s only second-apron team. The Los Angeles Lakers have a new-look roster after LeBron James left and still have obvious holes.
The Houston Rockets have to answer for a rough playoff showing with an aging Kevin Durant. The Minnesota Timberwolves now have to make LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards work together while also absorbing the losses of Julius Randle and Naz Reid.
The Portland Trail Blazers have a new coach and must sort through a crowded backcourt with Damian Lillard returning and Ja Morant added.
Behind Phoenix, only the Utah Jazz appear to have a real chance to rise, but even they may not be ready to get past the Suns. And it’s tough to see the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies or Sacramento Kings making enough of a leap to jump them.
That leaves Phoenix with a clear opening if Bridges and the rest of the new pieces come together.
Ott’s first year showed what this team can look like when everyone is locked in. The Suns played hard, bought into his system, and found ways for different players to step in when called upon. They got off to a strong start, but once opponents figured them out, sustaining that level became much harder.
Injuries didn’t help, but the bigger issue was how the rotation settled late. Ott stuck with the system without making major adjustments and leaned heavily on small ball down the stretch, with a seven-man rotation made up of players 6-foot-6 or shorter alongside Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro when the Suns were healthy.
Against bigger, more physical teams, that approach didn’t hold up. It showed in the play-in loss to Portland and the first-round sweep by Oklahoma City.
The new personnel could help change that. Bridges and Peat, plus the minutes that open up with Allen and O’Neale gone and Fleming in line for more chances, may give Ott more reason to play bigger. That would fit the system Phoenix already wants to run: force turnovers, crash the offensive glass, create extra possessions, and give players freedom on offense.
In Other News...
Mat Ishbias Suns Future Looks Clearer After Ownership Questions
Recent chatter around Mat Ishbias long-term place in Phoenix has quieted down for now, even after his company reported a sizable second-quarter loss. The Suns owner has continued to operate like someone invested in making the franchise more competitive and more appealing to fans, from keeping key pieces in place to bringing in new talent as the organization tries to build on its current direction.
For a team that has spent plenty of time under a microscope, the stability matters. There had been questions about whether the financial hit elsewhere could create pressure around the Suns, but the latest reporting points the other way, with Ishbia not facing a real threat to give up control at this stage. For Phoenix, the more immediate takeaway is that the ownership picture looks steady enough to keep the focus where it has been - on basketball, roster building and the push to make the arena and the experience around it feel like a destination again. [Read more 🡒]
Oso Ighodaro Faces A Defining Suns Season For His Role
Oso Ighodaro enters this Suns season in a spot that says as much about opportunity as it does about depth. He is still trying to carve out a larger role, and the path is there if he can show he can handle more than one job, including time at forward. For a team constantly balancing fit and flexibility, that kind of versatility matters, especially when the frontcourt is still taking shape around him.
The evaluation is bigger than one players stat line. Phoenix is looking at Ighodaro as someone who could grow into a more meaningful piece if he keeps developing, and his long-term place with the club may come down to how much progress he makes now. The comparison to Ryan Dunn is part of that bigger picture too, since the Suns are sorting through which young pieces look like keepers and which ones may leave the roster looking different before long. [Read more 🡒]