The Phoenix Suns are heading into their fourth preseason game with a much lighter lineup than fans saw in their previous meeting with San Antonio.
Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Miles Bridges, Dillon Brooks, Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro did not take part in the full morning shootaround and are not expected to play tonight against the Spurs, according to The Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin on X.
Booker and Bridges were also held out of Saturday’s 102-98 win over San Antonio, with Booker resting and Bridges out because of an ankle issue and rest. But this is the first time Phoenix has gone this deep into a preseason game without most of its top group available.
After the victory Saturday, coach Jordan Ott made it clear the plan was to sit the starters in one of the two remaining preseason games.
"One of these two (games we'll give them the night off). It's very fluid.
We have a couple days here in between," Ott said. "Get a good practice in on Monday and then see where we're at on Wednesday."
That sets up Friday’s home preseason finale against the Utah Jazz as the likelier spot for Suns fans to see the starters again.
For tonight, the absences open the door for the rest of the roster to keep making its case. One of the most interesting fights remains the last rotation spot between Ryan Dunn and Rasheer Fleming, with Dunn having the edge through the first three games. Both are still very much on the bubble.
Ighodaro sitting out also points toward a clear front-runner in the center battle. With Mark Williams having suffered a torn labrum in the offseason, it appears Ighodaro has the inside track on the starting job over Khaman Maluach unless something shifts before the Oct. 21 season opener.
That makes Maluach’s matchup with Victor Wembanyama one of the more compelling parts of the night. The Spurs played the Utah Jazz on Monday and were missing nine players, so they could have more of their regulars back for this one. Wembanyama is expected to return tonight.
Maluach started against Wembanyama on Saturday and turned in 10 points and 15 rebounds in 23 minutes, the kind of showing the Suns wanted to see from the young big man.
“I think he played well. He manned the paint, got some boards, caught some hard passes, finished with both hands. He played well and protected our rim really well," Dillon Brooks said of Maluach after the win.
“He guarded Wemby really well. He stayed in front, made him take tough shots, helped contain him from getting rebounds by tipping it out and getting it to us, showing strength and grabbing boards over top.
It’s a process, he’s young and gets to see those different matchups. We play them again, we’ll play them about three times, we got to trust him to guard him and give me a little break.”
Luke Kennard was another bright spot in Saturday’s win, scoring a game-high 20 points, and rookie Koa Peat could also be in line for extra minutes tonight with so many players out.
Even without its starters, Phoenix still has plenty to sort through as it keeps evaluating the bench. Tonight’s game is set to tip off shortly after 5 p.m. MST.
In Other News...
Mavericks Make Another Early Camp Cut As Roster Decisions Begin
Training camp decisions are starting to take shape around the league, and there has been movement that matters for teams trying to sort out the edges of their roster. The New Orleans Pelicans brought back center Hunter Dickinson on a non-guaranteed camp contract with Exhibit 10 language after waiving him from a two-way deal in August, while the Spurs added Kendall Brown on a training camp agreement and the Kings signed David Muoka on a similar one.
For San Antonio, the Brown addition fits into the broader early-camp churn that always comes with this part of the calendar, when teams are testing depth and looking for low-risk evaluations. Elsewhere in the West, the Mavericks have already started trimming their own group by requesting waivers on Jorge Diaz Graham after his recent preseason appearance, a reminder that more roster moves are likely to follow as camp jobs get sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Suddenly Have More Riding On This Season Than Ever
The Western Conference is shaping up to be a moving target, and the Spurs are right in the middle of it. With Minnesota shaking up its roster, the Lakers resetting around Luka Doncic after LeBron James departure, and plenty of eyes on a crowded race of rising teams, San Antonio suddenly feels like a club with a lot more to prove than just progress. Even the Spurs coaching setup is part of the conversation, with Billy Donovan in the lead assistant role as the organization tries to turn its promise into something sturdier.
There is plenty of league-wide noise around individual breakouts and title expectations, from Cooper Flaggs All-NBA buzz to the possibility of Doncic chasing the scoring crown, but the Spurs own path may be the most interesting of all. The sense around the West is that Oklahoma City and San Antonio could be among the regular-season powers, yet the bigger question is whether that kind of rise actually translates when the games get tighter and the stakes get higher. For the Spurs, this season is starting to feel less like another step forward and more like a test of how real the climb actually is. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs May Have Found An Early Answer Behind Wembanyama
The Spurs went into the preseason looking for a little more certainty behind Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet, and rookie Tarris Reed Jr. has given them a promising early look. Acquired in a trade after being drafted by the Nuggets, Reed has stood out with his rebounding and work on the defensive end, the kind of low-drama contributions that can quickly earn trust in San Antonio.
Devin Vassell has already noticed, and that matters for a young player trying to carve out a role before the games count. Reed appears to have the edge right now for the third big-man spot, especially with fellow rookie Jayden Quaintance still coming back from a knee procedure, but the Spurs will still have to decide how much of that preseason momentum turns into real minutes once the rotation tightens. [Read more 🡒]