Dear Phoenix Suns Nation,
The break between the end of the season and the next one was a bit longer than it has been the last few years, but we are finally here: It’s opening night in the Valley.
The franchise’s
58th season, things look a bit different than they did a year ago. From the top, Brian Gregory and Jordan Ott are General Manager and Head Coach. James Jones now works for the NBA Office, and Mike Budenholzer is not on any coaching staffs after a tough year coaching the roster.
Bradley Beal got bought out and is now on the Los Angeles Clippers, looking to redeem himself after a rough couple of down years in Phoenix, and after a confusing and uncommunicative trade deadline between he and the organization, Kevin Durant is now a Houston Rocket after being traded to Texas in June.
The Suns got Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks in the Durant trade, two polarizing and flawed players, but they have skillsets that they will be able to utilize more often than they could in Houston. Green is known for his scoring abilities, while Brooks is a defensive wing.
Additionally, the Valley has leaned into a youth movement. Phoenix acquired center Mark Williams, whose entering his fourth season after spending his first three with the Charlotte Hornets. The Suns maneuvered its way to three draft picks in the 2025 Draft, selecting Khaman Maluach with the 10th pick and Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea with the 31st and 41st picks.
Maluach, a 7’1” Center from Duke, is considered the most intriguing of the three rookies. Born in South Sudan, he started playing basketball at 13, and his story and character are unique to his journey, and he is an incredibly raw prospect. Fleming and Brea have more defined skillsets, but are seen as players with lower floors.
While the 2020-2024 version of the Phoenix Suns appears to be a thing of the past, one person remains constant from that time.
Amid all the changes, the franchise leader is as committed as ever. Devin Booker signed an extension that keeps him in the Valley until the end of the decade.
There are not many players in the NBA like Booker. He’s a top talent, but his loyalty, amid the highs and lows an NBA franchise goes through over a decade is seldom in a league with constant player movement. He’s been on Suns teams that boasted the NBA’s worst and best records, and now is the bona fide leader of the team. He looks to help the Suns retool and rebuild amid the lack of draft assets and the limiting financial the franchise is in after buying out Beal.
Going into the season, the expectations are lower than they’ve been in recent seasons. The team is not looked at as a contender and hasn’t been talked about as much since Durant left town. While the team may not be likely to win their first championship, there are expectations of how the season goes.
As it was emphasized time and time again this offseason by management, the Valley is trying to have strong organizational alignment after a few years that appeared to be disoriented. The team looks to build an identity that they can sustain for future seasons and be a team that the state of Arizona can appreciate, according to Owner Mat Ishbia. The team hopes the young core and the players in new roles can take off and help establish that new culture.
While it may not appear to be the most captivating season in Phoenix Suns history, it’s an opportunity for them to turn the page, start fresh, and begin a new era of Suns basketball that builds on the mistakes of the last era. We’ll have to find out and see what they do.
Sincerely,
Holden Sherman
