2025 has treated the Phoenix Suns very well.
Well, at least the second half of it. For the technical people, that clarification is for you.
Phoenix boasts a 19-14 record heading into the New Year, exceeding expectations by all accounts. Especially when you consider some of the adversity they’ve faced early on. The joy of basketball is back in the Valley.
What can we expect in the new year from the Suns? For starters, I hope the level of intensity remains the same in 2026. I created a list of things
we’d like to see roll over into 2026, and things we’d like to keep in 2025.
Roll it over into 2026
- Collin Gillespie’s nuclear shooting
- The level of intensity and hustle
- The extra efforts on the glass
- Leading the league in steals
- Dillon Brooks being Dillon Brooks
- Thrilling comeback wins
There have been plenty of high highs in the opening 33 games of the season, and a lot of that starts with Collin Gillespie’s emergence. Dillon Brooks deserves credit for being the spark that ignites all the chaos, intensity, and fearless identity this team has proudly adopted.
It’s actually a miracle that my “roll it over into 2026” list is longer than the “leave it in 2025” list. First time since… the 64-win season, probably?
Leave it in 2025
- Jalen Green’s hamstring issues
- Massive foul/free-throw discrepancies
- Dillon Brooks untimely technicals (doubt it)
- Devin Booker’s three-point shooting woes
More Jalen Green, please and thank you. We need to see what this team looks like at full strength.
The guard depth has been a pleasant surprise, with both Green and Grayson Allen missing extended time, as well as Devin Booker for a bit. The emergence of Jamaree Bouyea, Jordan Goodwin’s steady play, and Collin Gillespie turning into a legitimate starting-caliber guard have shifted the course of the season for the supposedly shorthanded Suns.
Dillon Brooks’ technicals are what they are. You have to accept the good with the bad when it comes to the Dillon Brooks show, but the untimely technicals late in the game need to end. Even if it was a soft/unwarranted call on a LeFlop, the one on LeBron in that Lakers game ultimately cost them a win.
Another hot take: I would like for Devin Booker not to shoot 30.1% from three-point range this year. Bold, I know. But this is the lowest of his career, and it has to improve.
The good news is that, as unexpectedly fun as this Suns team has been, there is still plenty of room for them to get better and build off their early success. We haven’t even seen a ton of the rookies yet, and there’s still reason for optimism surrounding Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach. And no, we haven’t forgotten about you, Koby Brea. This guard rotation is just DEEP.
At Bright Side, we’d like to wish you all a Happy New Year. Thank you for making last year fun, and we look forward to what’s to come in 2026.
