Our Bright Side Predicts series rolls on, with three questions left for our writing crew to tackle before the 2025-26 season tips off. We’ve already looked at reasons to feel good. We’ve already poked
at what keeps us up at night. Now it’s time to turn the lens toward potential.
Who’s ready to make the leap? Who has the tools, the mindset, or the green light to change how we talk about this roster by season’s end?
This group has only seven players returning from last year’s disaster, and the overhaul shows. There’s fresh energy, a mix of youth and veteran presence, and for once, a sense of balance. The average age sits at 25.6, right in the middle of the league, and that middle ground means plenty of directions for growth.
Our writers weighed in on who they think is ready to break through, and what that jump could look like, statistically or stylistically.
Which player will take the biggest leap this year? And what will that look like statistically or stylistically?
Brandon: Collin Gillespie, which ends up (slightly) alleviating my concern in the point made for the question above. I think his impact goes beyond the box score or scoring numbers. I expect a competitive edge and the ability to play alongside multiple lineups seamlessly from CG.
Holden: I think you have to say Mark Williams. Even if it sounds crazy to say, this is probably the best roster he’s ever been a part of. With Booker and Green commanding a lot of defenses’ attention, Williams could have an opportunity to be a strong presence inside. I think he could average around 18 points and 10 boards this year, as long as he stays healthy.
Bruce: The player who is going to take the biggest leap is going to be Oso Ighodaro. I believe the big man will be able to play both power forward and center this year for the Suns, depending on the lineups they want. In double-big lineups, he will be used primarily as a playmaker and as a point forward, helping set up the offense.
Ighodaro’s one struggle is his outside shot, but if he can find some comfort with it, he will blossom even further with the ability to be a stretch big man, which can be presented.
His knack for being a solid rebounder and interior defender will garner him the playing time he deserves. With Ott having familiarity with double big lineups in the past, I have a feeling he has a plan for Ighodaro to thrive, and I see it coming to fruition.
Kevin: Jalen Green playing next to another all-star guard creator in Devin Booker will open up new opportunities for him. He is also playing next to lob threat big men, where he will be able to knife through the defense with his athleticism and throw the ball up to Mark Williams and company, who will finish above the rim. Will there be games he shoots too much? Yes. Will there be games he shoots too little, trying to figure it out? Yes. But playing next to Booker and lob threat big men will simplify the reads he needs to make and improve his playmaking and efficiency.
Luke: For me, it’s about Mark Williams having a renaissance year and being in conversation for the Western Conference’s top 6/7 centers on the floor on any given night.
Pano: I would say Dillon Brooks. He can position himself as a third option, or at least as a really reliable and efficient shooter, not to mention his impact on defense. He will have a more important role, be more in the spotlight, have more ticket shoots, and have more responsibilities. So why not go for a mix of his stats with the Grizzlies and his efficiency with the Rockets? I hope he will become an even more important two-way player than before.
Miah: Book. And I know that might surprise people, but his leap won’t be about stats, it’ll be about joy. He recently admitted that the past couple of seasons felt like a slog, and now you can already see the old Book resurfacing in preseason and postgame interviews. His love for the game is coming back, and that kind of energy fuels team chemistry and cohesion in a way no box score can capture.
Voita: I want the answer to this question to be Jalen Green, because if it is, that means everything for this organization, both right now and in the seasons ahead. I’d love for it to be Ryan Dunn too, but I don’t think that’s the reality yet.
So if I’m being honest with myself, the answer is probably Mark Williams. He’s a walking double-double, the kind of big who can reshape an offense with his presence alone. His ability as a lob threat can unlock so much for this team. Statistically, I expect him to average that double-double. Stylistically, I expect him to control the glass and finish strong around the rim, night after night. You know, when healthy and such.
Now it’s your turn. Who do you think is about to take a leap?
