I had to double-take when I saw this. Royce O’Neale, at 32, is now the oldest player on the Suns’ roster. He is, by default, the elder statesman of what is now a very young and very hungry squad.
That’s not hyperbole. The Suns carried 10 players born in 2000 or later on the preseason roster. We have rookies, reclamation projects, second-year guys, and a supporting cast that changes the mold Phoenix has worn for the better part of a decade.
Royce is practically ancient on this roster. (I kid, I kid)
So what are we really seeing out of this youth movement? And more importantly, what’s shown up during the preseason? Well, promise for starters. And that immediate production in the preseason has snowballed into optimism as we enter the new season.
Yes, we just finished the preseason. We’re still in the “getting-to-know-you” stage, but there’s already a different feel to this Suns team entering the regular season. We have an excitign young core and we haven’t even seen two of these guys play yet in Mark Williams and Jalen Green. And yes, they are in the young core conversation at just 23 years old a piece.
Phoenix’s Young Core:
- Jalen Green — 23 years old
- Mark Williams — 23 years old
- Oso Ighodaro — 23 years old
- Ryan Dunn — 22 years old
- Koby Brea — 22 years old
- Rasheer Fleming — 21 years old
- Khaman Maluach — 19 years old
That is a young and talented group with plenty of range in roles, talent and upside. Jordan Ott and company will need to find a way to maximize this group as a whole.
In their 132-127 overtime win over Brooklyn, it was the young guys who made things happen. Rashheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach came alive late, sparking the comeback with energy, length, and defense when it mattered most. Fleming’s timing and hustle stood out. Whether it was cutting hard, contesting shots, or doing all the little things. Maluach’s quick feet and defensive instincts were just as impressive, keeping pace with smaller guards and showing flashes of real versatility.
Then, in the Suns’ preseason finale, we saw the youth movement in full force again. “Man Man” looked like a force to be reckoned with, and Fleming’s defensive prowess was impressive yet again. That being said, we don’t even know if either of those two will even crack the opening night rotation, and that’s a good thing. In the past, we’ve launched rookies into heavy roles they weren’t ready for and stunted their development. Now, Phoenix is in a situation where they can be patient.
This youthful energy needs to be present throughout the rigors of an 82-game season. The past two years, when the times got tough, the team crumbled, and the energy was low. I will be more interested to see how this group responds to any adversity that hits them than anything. I hope that adversity hits much, much later in the season, but the reality is that it is out of our (and their) control.
Jared Butler lost a roster spot to Jordan Goodwin, indicating this team values size, defense, and versatility over anything. We wish Butler the best, as he certainly looked like an NBA players in that masterclass performance in the preseason finale against the Lakers. But now, we move on to the group we do have.
The games that count are where this will all be solidified as an actual movement or just a blip on the radar during games that didn’t count. Does it all work? No guarantee.
But for the first time in a while, the narrative feels like growth, not desperation. For Phoenix fans, that’s a breath of hope.
