We are a day away from the start of the Phoenix Suns season, and tonight the NBA tips off. Basketball is back, and so are we.
At this point, we only have two more questions left from the Bright Side of
the Sun writing staff. We’ve covered plenty already, so if you missed our earlier thoughts, you can catch up here.
Now we turn to a new question. Who could be the best player coming off the bench for the Suns? There are plenty of options, and the answer might shift as rotations change and injuries come into play. Here’s what our team had to say.
Who is your pick for the Suns’ Sixth Man of the Year?
Brandon: Since my answer is Collin Gillespie to the last one, this one may surprise you. I’m going with Grayson Allen. Think he is due for a big year and will bounce back across all categories for his best season yet in the NBA. Get ready for a ton of three-guard lineups, folks!
Holden: I think it has to be Grayson Allen. I think we could see his impact be similar to what it was his first year with the Suns two years ago. He’s the strongest playmaker in the second unit, and his shooting prowess is obviously elite, which could help him play with the starting unit late in games.
Bruce: The pick for me here is Royce O’Neale.
I believe that O’Neale is one of the better three-point scorers on this bench unit and that will be necessary for the Suns’ success on the offensive end of the ball. With Booker and Gillespie, they will need wing scorers who can be consistent from three-point range, and Royce was that three-point shooter from last season. Even with him getting older, the wing can still hold himself solidly on the defensive end.
O’Neale has had to play a bigger role in the past, but this year, I genuinely see him embodying the bench 3&D wing, which is a necessity for this team.
Kevin: As long as he is on this team, the Suns’ most important bench player is Royce O’Neale. He is reliable defensively and has shot the lights out since arriving in Phoenix. He can play multiple positions, and his connectivity is significantly underrated. He will be the Suns’ most reliable player off the bench this season. While his consistency will not be flashy and exciting, it will directly contribute to winning, and many of the younger players will learn from O’Neale how to survive in the NBA.
Luke: Collin Gillespie or Grayson Allen. Dark horse selection: Rasheer Fleming (I secretly expect him to become the player that Ryan Dunn is tagged as being… and it will happen in under 30 regular-season games).
Pano: My favorite since his arrival: Nigel Hayes-Davis, his entry into the rotation may take some time, but I have no doubt that he can establish himself as the first option off the bench for the long term. He will bring serenity, defense, scoring and why not a little creation, he is multifunctional and that is all we need to guide the rotation.
Miah: Grayson Allen, though probably not in a way that grabs headlines or trophies. He’s just steady. Every season, even with reduced minutes, his per-minute numbers hold strong or even improve. That consistency is the mark of a great sixth man, and I think he’s carving out a solid niche for the next five years of his career in the NBA.
Voita: Like many, I’m going with Grayson Allen. He has to be. He’s the most dynamic offensive weapon this team brings off the bench.
Collin Gillespie can steady the offense and keep things organized, but the real burden of production will fall on Allen’s shoulders. He’s the one who can shift momentum in an instant, the one who has to carry that second unit when the starters rest. As for Royce O’Neale, I don’t see him sticking around past the deadline.
You’ve heard our cases. So who do you have winning the Suns’ Sixth Man of the Year? And why?
