With five days left before the regular season tips off for the Phoenix Suns, we put together five questions for our Bright Side writing staff to tackle. This is our Bright Side Predicts series. We’re starting
off on a positive note, focusing on what there is to be optimistic about as we head into a season where expectations aren’t exactly sky-high.
What is your biggest reason for optimism heading into the season?
Brandon: Low expectations. Hang with me here. Yes, having low expectations after the house was cleaned feels good. There is essentially nothing to lose at this point. Let the young guys develop and see if the Booker/Green pairing works. This young core is much more exciting to watch than any core we’ve had in the past few seasons. That alone is a small win. Let’s just have some low-pressure fun.
Holden: I think the biggest reason for optimism has to be that Devin Booker’s actions show he is committed to the Suns long term. It feels like a consensus that every Suns fan’s dream is to see him leading the team to their first Larry O’Brien trophy. He played a pivotal part in hiring Jordan Ott, and the roster seems to have rallied around him. His extension was a commitment to Phoenix and puts them in a position to not have to rush to get back to title contention.
Bruce: I am most optimistic about this team being Devin Booker’s again and what that looks like in this new direction.
Over the last couple of seasons, we have been trying to force something to work that did not mesh. Whether it was due to the contracts restricting them or the failure of hustle on the court, the team, especially last year, seemed like a jumbled mess. Not to mention, the head coach said they ran a “random offense,” in which we saw players like Kevin Durant and Tyus Jones sitting in the corner waiting for catch-and-shoot threes.
With all of this gone, we can finally see Devin Booker be who he wants to be on the court. Regardless of whether that’s an off-ball scorer or the dominant point guard that he wants to be, it allows him to thrive, something we got a glimpse of at the end of last year when Durant and Beal were injured. Now, instead of $100 million in scorers, it’s invested in defensive wings and centers, which the team needs.
Kevin: The Phoenix Suns are building their foundation on playing a hard-nosed, defensive brand of basketball. The Suns have caught up to the evolution of the NBA, where the best-conditioned, deepest, most athletic, and disruptive teams win night after night. They do not have the pieces to win a championship now, but the way they have constructed this team and roster shows that they understand they cannot win by chasing superstars that only score points. Instead, they are trying to build a team that wins defensively, rebounds, plays fast, shares the ball, and plays together.
Luke: Charlie Chaplin was once quoted as saying: “You’ll never find rainbows if you’re looking down…” And as Suns fans we could get hung up on what we “should of had” with previous rosters and results, etc. However, everything about this new team feels packed with potential and freshness. I’m here for it!
Pano: After the hurricane the franchise has experienced in recent years (especially this summer), I think Booker’s extension gives us good reason to be optimistic. The face and one of the best players of the franchise and the league is still present despite the routs and a much less competitive roster. For me, we can hope for results just with his presence. Without him, it would have been much worse.
Miah: We now have the top scorer and defensive anchor from the West’s second seed and they’re starting alongside D-Book and a bunch of young, hungry players eager to prove themselves. Expectations are low, energy is high, and the intangibles are off the charts. I love that combo. The upside of Maluach and Brea is just the cherry on top of the cake of this high-effort, good-vibes team.
Voita: I’m feeling optimistic about covering this team this season. Why? It might not be the winningest group I’ve covered since joining Bright Side, but it could be one of the most competitive. I believe that. The optimism comes from knowing we’ve turned the page on what once felt like a disjointed, mismanaged, directionless team. That shift alone is enough to feel good about.
What we have now is a roster full of competitors, a true franchise cornerstone, and a wave of young players ready to prove themselves. From a storytelling perspective, that’s gold. There will be no shortage of moments to analyze or threads to follow.
Last season, writing about the mess that surrounded this team night after night drained me. It felt heavy, repetitive, joyless. This year feels different. This year, I’m optimistic that covering this team won’t be exhausting, it’ll be energizing.
Where do you land on it? What gives you the most optimism heading into this season? Which writer do you find yourself agreeing with the most? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
