The Phoenix Suns are a mixed bag from a zoomed-out national perspective.
On one hand, they exceeded expectations a year ago and became something of an underdog darling. Now, with their element of surprise a thing of the past, the Suns will have to prove themselves all over again. Every single night.
The identity they want in Phoenix is clear at this point, but it’s one that is proven every game and earned over time. It’s predicated on intangibles over talent. Don’t get me wrong, they have talent… but their
effort and doing the little things is what got them to where they are today.
Can they do it all over again this season? Could the ceiling be even higher than we’re giving them credit for?
I wrote about why they could disappoint in my most recent piece, so now it’s time to get more optimistic. Let’s jump in.
1) Improved Chemistry
Last season, they had a carousel of injuries and plenty of “breakout” players who were more focused on proving they belong on the floor than doing anything “extra”. Here’s how that could work in their favor.
Collin Gillespie, for example, was constantly doing the little things, focused on intense pressure defensively, making the right reads, playing selfless, smart basketball as we expect out of a Villanova Wildcat.
Now, with a season under his belt and the “prove it” shadow not lurking as heavily around everything he does, it could feel like he has more freedom. Freedom to be aggressive and take more calculated risks on the basketball floor. And then you have Jordan Goodwin. He is a staple in the rotation now, and he knows exactly what his role is. All the extensions to bring back the glue guys, plus Mark Williams down low, give them some continuity they did not have a year ago.
Jordan Ott is one year wiser. No longer is he a rookie coach. He is a coach with a year under his belt and the respect of this locker room. And most importantly, all of these guys are more familiar with playing alongside Devin Booker, the Phoenix Suns’ engine.
2) More talent + Hopefully more availability
Look, talent wins games. I’m also being optimistic on the health front, and not in a naive way. I understand injuries will happen. Let’s just hope it doesn’t take the same toll as it did last year.
Last season, this roster lost:
- Jalen Green for 50 games
- Devin Booker for 18 games
- Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks to multiple injuries after the All-Star break
- Grayson Allen for over 30 games
- And still won 45 games
It was a resilient group. But let’s be clear about what actually happened. They finished 14-17 down the stretch. The second half of the season was rough. They got swept in the first round by OKC despite overachieving by ~15 wins in the regular season, depending on the pundit/oddsmakers.
The margin of error was razor-thin because the depth was tested every single night. Now, if Jalen Green stays on the floor for more than 32 games? If Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks aren’t playing through chronic pain? This team’s ceiling shoots up. Not because of better talent, but because role players can play their role instead of overextending themselves.
Even a modest health improvement targets the exact weakness that nearly derailed them in April. Every team has a time of year where they limp. It’s about minimizing that damage and entering the playoffs peaking, at as close to full strength as possible.
3) One year wiser, but still youthful
The youth movement is underway in Phoenix, and it’s not a bad thing to be young and spry. Devin Booker is the grizzled, grumpy veteran surrounded by a ton of youth.
What a sentence to type out after watching him arrive as a wide-eyed baby face 18-year old. Okay, maybe not wide-eyed, but man, has he grown before our eyes.
This Suns team still has the youthful energy, but a lot of experience and reps to go with it.
Jordan Ott’s system doesn’t reward ball-stopping isolation basketball. It rewards active defenders who can hunt assignments, make weak-side rotations, and sprint the floor in transition. That’s executable with young players because it’s repeatable. It’s coachable. It’s not dependent on 10 years of NBA experience. As long as Booker takes on the veteran leader role along with Dillon Brooks, the rest of the guys can focus on doing their jobs.
This offseason, the Suns felt they needed complementary scoring and positional versatility. Enter Miles Bridges and Luke Kennard.
Bridges gives them another wing who can attack a closeout and make plays off the bounce. Luke Kennard is spacing the floor and taking dribble handoffs in the short roll. Neither guy requires the ball constantly. Both fit the structural DNA that worked last season. With improved chemistry around those two additions, this could be a very dangerous Suns team.
This team has the same core and foundation that helped them exceed expectations a season ago. And now they have a little more experience, talent and upside to go with it. If it all clicks and they stay even a little more healthy than they were a year ago, there’s no reason to think this team doesn’t have another gear.
Doubt them at your own risk.
