Welcome to Inside the Suns, a deep down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team in which the Fantable — a roundtable of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: What is your boldest prediction for the Suns’ 2026-27 season?
GuarGuar: My boldest prediction is we will be a Top 4 seed in the Western Conference this year. I think the cohesiveness and development of this group will show big time, and I also think we will have better injury luck overall.
zenzino: Instructions said ‘3 or less’. Less? I don’t think so. I’m taking it to the
limit! Shocking, I know.
- Suns finish 5th or 6th seed and, due to some favorable matchups, make it to the Western Conference Finals.
- Maluach has an ok start to the season but then hits his stride and wins the NBA Most Improved Player.
- Goodie is Goodie all season long and makes NBA All-Defensive 2nd team. I’d say 1st team but the bias against being a Suns player will work against him.
Ashton: My boldest prediction? Is Rod trying to set me up for a positive answer? Though I suppose I could swing to the dark side and give out some predictions that would really make “Bightsiders” PO’ed. Let’s roll with the positive.
- Suns win 45 games
- Suns miss fewer games than last season due to injury concerns and rest management issues.
- Let’s take it a step further. Sun fans actually get true updates on players’ status reports rather than the same mealy-mouthed spoon-fed crap we get season after season. “Oh, it’s just tweaked a little” turns into 4-6 weeks out. I like transparency.
Do I believe these to be true? Probably not.
Rod: I’m not sure how bold this one is, but I think Ryan Dunn is going to be a key rotation player for the Suns this year. He’s looked both confident and competent in preseason, and has obviously regained Jordan Ott’s trust.
I think the Suns will not only be a top 10 defensive team this year, but in the top 5 defensively. Overall, they’ve ranked only 17th in preseason, but in 1st quarters (played mostly by 1st and 2nd unit players) they ranked 4th in defense.
By the time the playoffs roll around, the return of Mark Williams is going to give the team a significant boost that pushes them up in the final seeding and plays a big role in winning at least their first-round playoff series.
Q2: ESPN recently called the center position as the Suns’ “biggest roster hole”. What are your thoughts on this?
GuarGuar: I agree, given that Maluach is unproven and Oso would be very undersized for a starting center. I’m hopeful Man Man can prove to be a quality big this year so it’s not a big issue, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about our Center spot this year. The Duop signing makes me feel a tad better.
zenzino: My thoughts are that ESPN is the biggest hole in the sports media roster.
I’m actually surprised they took enough time away from stroking LeBron to worry about the Suns. It’s all those short helicopter trips.
Obviously, there’s no roster hole at either guard position. I’m cool with the depth at SF. For me, it’s a toss-up between PF and Center. Even though there are more possible bodies at the SF position, I’m pretty confident in Oso and Man Man to be ‘good enough’ and hold it down for the first half of the season.
Sheer is going to take a little longer than we hoped, but like Man Man, I think he’s going to start trusting in the work he’s doing more and more and work his way into consistent rotation.
It’s probably pretty obvious; I’ve made a conscious decision to look on the bright side of things with the Suns (see what I did there?). So understand my takes are going to focus on the positive.
I like this team as currently constructed. Are they bursting with talent 1-15? Not really. But all 15 guys go out there, play hard, and usually contribute.
Ashton: You cannot say that ESPN will state the obvious and run with it. Oh wait, I can! That is exactly what they do. We have been calling that topic on the board ever since, and maybe even before Mark Williams went down with injury. KM has been more of a revelation in the preseason, so maybe the raw center can hold up. I thought he did just fine against Wemby. Why in the world did Coach Ott sit Oso? Unless he is not healthy, he could have really used those minutes against Wemby on Wednesday.
Also, I need to slip this in somewhere, and this question will work. But what is the point of preseason if all the starters (now including Oso) are sitting out? Yes, preseason games have been reduced from eight games to four, but it is still glorified Summer League. Just increase the age requirements for the Summer League games while scrapping the preseason altogether.
Rod: They call it a hole; I call it a question mark. It could turn into a roster hole, but that’s still undetermined at this point. Maluach has shown enough promise that it’s very possible that he could begin to be a force in the lineup fairly early on in the season, and Ighodaro is already a proven, quality backup center. It all depends on how quickly Khaman adapts and settles into playing a much bigger role than he’s used to.
Another big question mark that could become a hole is the lack of a true point guard in the starting lineup. Can they get the Booker/Green backcourt to function well enough together to make that lack a non-factor? Sure, having Gillespie move up into the starting lineup could fill that potential hole, but it could create another one on the 2nd unit…or at least an adjustment to the 2nd unit roles which might not go smoothly.
Q3: Eddie Johnson recently said that Devin Booker needs to be aggressive and be taking the most shots for the Suns this season. What’s your opinion on this?
GuarGuar: I 100% agree with Eddie; we need Book to be ultra aggressive and our leading shot taker. I’m as big of a Book fan as it gets, as evidenced by my history here on BSOTS…but I’ll be honest when I say I’m concerned about Devin. His elevation on his jump shot hasn’t been there the past 2.5 years. I don’t know if it’s just declining athleticism, the Books, or what…but he’s not elevating anywhere near what he used to do. And that is why I think his jump shot has been off the past couple seasons.
He needs to gain that alpha confidence again more than anything, though. Too many times he gets passive and is obsessed with just making the right play. And while I commend his discipline and self-sacrifice for the betterment of the team…it gets to a point where it’s too much. And it was way too much last year. We need Book to get back at least close to his prime a couple seasons ago in order to be a future contender. And I still believe in him to lead us.
zenzino: EJ has a pretty high basketball IQ. Smart guy.
That being said…duh.
Yes! Book needs to be the primary bucket getter. I’ve been wanting Book to get back to his scoring ways for quite a while now. I hope Book sticks to what he said on media day about looking to shoot more.
This will be facilitated by others. Oso’s passing and playmaking have improved to the point where he is a primary connector when he’s on the court. We just caught a glimpse of it in the first game; Bridges’ passing and playmaking are underrated. And Green is making strides, working with Nash. I posted a great video in the feed of a film breakdown showing the change in Green’s reads and decision-making. If he continues to progress, that’s another effective tool in the Suns’ toolbox.
All of this will get Book off the ball more and greatly reduce the pressure on Book to be the main facilitator and playmaker so he can concentrate on what he does best. If these things come together, Book could have the best scoring season of his career.
And I’m here for it.
Ashton: For those not aware, Eddie Johnson is the color commentator for the Arizona Family Suns games and has had the same stints with ASU and the Phoenix Mercury. Also, a co-host on NBA Today. He has had an illustrious NBA career and should not be confused with “Fast Eddie”, who is Eddie L. Johnson. I enjoy listening to his color commentary.
Eddie is not wrong in his statement, but Book has received little play in the preseason, mainly due to rest. This is being submitted before Friday’s Utah Jazz game, but I highly doubt a Booker start happens. Book has looked pretty fly in his street clothes while negotiating his next endorsement deal on the cell.
Rest management does not make you an aggressive player. In fact, I am beginning to side with the crowd that thinks Book may have already turned his corner for wanting to prove he is one of the best in the NBA. Depending on what top NBA 100 player rankings you read, Book is aging like vinegary wine that has corresponded with his age. I last saw him ranked at number 26 (CBS Sports), but 30 is not out of the question. Is this a call to trade? No. He is still the heart and soul of the team, but I think he is slowing down. He will still be the best player on the team.
Which is why I want Booker to use his NBA experience and be a playmaker for the Suns. I have maintained this stance for a while. Sorry, Eddie, you will not find support for your “aggressive” statement from me. I want him to act more like a mentor and a veteran. Something which he did not do in preseason, while passing up an excellent chance to bond with his on-court teammates.
Rod: I agree with one caveat…he needs to concentrate on his bread-and-butter mid-range game and limit his long-range three-point attempts. If they leave him alone at the three-point line, he should fire away, but otherwise I’d rather see him get closer to the FT line and get off one of his fadeaway mid-range jumpers that he’s so good at. We’re going to need him to average about 25 points and he can do that, and probably do it more efficiently, sniping from mid-range (and at the FT line) than bombing away from three.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Quotes of the Week
“We have a lot of weapons, guys that can have a big night any night and we know that.” – Luke Kennard
“I love Luke (Kennard). You can plug and play him anywhere. He has a tremendous shot, knows how to play the game, and is not only a three-point shooter as you see. He can create for himself in the midrange; he’s got a great handle. He’s going to be another scorer for us coming off the bench. He guards; he stays in front. He was a perfect pickup for us this offseason, and I can’t wait for Phoenix to see all the types of games he’s going to have. He’s going to have some tremendous games.” – Dillon Brooks
“He (Ryan Dunn) has had a great camp so far. I’m sure it will continue because of the way he works.” – Jordan Ott
“For the team, whatever is asked of us, we’re going to do.” – Oso Ighodaro
Suns Trivia/History
Teams With The Most 2nd Chance PPG In The 2026-27 NBA Preseason
- Boston Celtics — 26.0
- Dallas Mavericks — 23.7
- Houston Rockets — 23.3
- Orlando Magic — 20.0
- Portland Trail Blazers — 18.7
- Cleveland Cavaliers — 18.0
- Phoenix Suns — 17.8
- Sacramento Kings — 17.8
- Miami Heat — 17.5
- New York Knicks — 16.4
From Stat Defender (Twitter/X)
On October 18, 1968, Dick Van Arsdale scored the Suns’ very first basket at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum as Phoenix beat the Seattle Supersonics 116-107 in their inaugural regular season opener. Van Arsdale (21 pts), Gail Goodrich (27 pts) and Dick Snyder (20 pts) led the way in scoring with 68 of the Suns’ total points (58.6%). Goodrich and center George Wilson would share the honors of being the first two Suns players to ever record double-doubles, with Goodrich getting 27 pts and 10 assists and Wilson scoring 16 points while pulling down 19 rebounds. Goodrich was also just one rebound short of getting the first triple-double in Suns history.
On October 18, 1977, 6-time All-Star Walter Davis made his NBA debut for the Phoenix Suns in a 100-83 win over the Golden State Warriors. In his first-ever NBA game, Davis scored 20 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and made 5 steals in 31 minutes.
On October 22, 1976, twin brothers Tom and Dick Van Arsdale played together in a game for the Phoenix Suns, becoming the first pair of twins to play for the same NBA club. Unfortunately, the Suns ended up losing the game 111-98 to the New Orleans Jazz.
On October 23, 1993, in the finals of the sixth McDonald’s Championship, held at the Olympiahalle in Munich, Germany, the Phoenix Suns defeated Italian League champion Buckler Bologna 112-90. Charles Barkley led all scorers with 28 points and was awarded the Drazen Petrovic Trophy as MVP of the tournament after scoring 52 points in two games.
The Week Ahead
Wednesday: Phoenix Suns @ Portland Trail Blazers, 7:00 pm AZ time
Saturday: Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors, 7:00 pm AZ time
Important Future Dates
Oct. 19 – All rosters set for NBA Opening Day (5 p.m. ET)
Oct. 20 – 2026-27 NBA Season Begins
Oct. 24 – NBA G League Draft
Oct. 26 – NBA G League Training Camps open
Oct. 30 – Emirates NBA Cup 2026 Group Play tips off
Nov. 6 – NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament begins
Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded
Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed
Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season
Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded
Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline
Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027
March 1 – Playoff Eligibility Waiver Deadline
April 11 – 2026-27 Regular Season ends (All 30 teams play)
April 12 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2027 (3 p.m. ET)
April 13-16 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
April 17 – NBA Playoffs 2026 begin
