This Suns Situation Is Better Than You Think

This Suns Situation Is Better Than You Think

The Suns might have had the most active off seasonason of any team, making a number of moves to shape up their young core, add some depth, and build a really unique roster, but what can we expect from them in 2026? Are they good enough to compete in the West? And what can we make of their future? Last season, the Suns were the single most underwhelming team. After starting 8-1, Kevin Durant got hurt and it was all downhill from there. They proceeded to have a bottom five defense, won 36 games, and didn’t even make the playin. But real quick, I want to address the KD injury because this team completely transformed depending on whether or not he was in the lineup. In the 62 games he played, they actually had a winning record and in the 20 he missed, a disastrous three and 17. Him not being healthy for the entire season was obviously the biggest issue for the Suns because the whole idea of the roster collapsed when it was just one of their two stars in the lineup. But with both the level of shot creation and shot making between those two along with a surplus of reliable spot of shooters gave them a high enough floor to at least compete for a playoff spot. Even if KD and Book both played all 82 though, the root of this team’s issues was so much deeper. On offense, they had basically nobody who could consistently pressure the rim in the half court and didn’t have a ton of playmaking talent. So even if the vision was to lean into the offense, they wouldn’t be good enough to be a top four or five scoring team in the league. And then on defense, they were basically a lost cause in every way. They had no options at the point of attack, no defensive playmakers, couldn’t really switch, and KD was their best source of paint defense. That’s really important because obviously he got traded to the Rockets. While most people view that as a downgrade to Phoenix’s offense, their defense also completely collapsed during those 20 games without him. That’s because they relied on him a ton as a secondary rim protector on a team that seriously lacked paint, defense, and athleticism in the front court. So, moving forward, they’re going to need second-year forward Ryan Dunn to step into that role for them. Dunn is 6’8 with a 7 foot2 wingspan, gifted vertically, and has good timing as a shot blocker. If they’re able to keep him behind the play, I think he can add a ton of value as a helper. He’s not limited to that role, though. In general, he’s kind of a ridiculous defensive athlete with the agility and foot speed to stick with shifty guards as well as solid technique at the point of attack. The problem is he has to prove he can stay on the floor offensively for his defense to bring any value because he isn’t a ball handler, creator, or passer. He’s a stationary spot-up shooter who defenses actively want taking threes. Most of his outside shots last season were open in the corner and he still only hit 31% as well as 49% from the free throw line. I will say the 46% from mid-range is intriguing, but not the best indicators working in his favor in terms of shooting development. The keys for him are improving the jumper and figuring out more ways to leverage his size and athleticism into offensive value. He’s only 22 years old, and if he’s able to stay on the floor, his defensive game could be a big part of both the present and the future. Outside of Dunn though, the team doesn’t have a secondary rim protector. Royce O’Neal’s a smart helper who can hold his own against multiple positions, but he’s an unders sized limited athlete near the basket. Of course, the KD trade brought in both Dylan Brooks and Jaylen Green. Neither of them are particularly big or lengthy. And although Jaylen’s got the vertical pop to get up for an occasional contest, he’s rarely ever in position to make those plays and certainly not someone that can be relied on to play cleanup. So, their paint defense is going to be reliant upon the new big men they picked up over the summer. Before we get into that, I want to give a huge shout out to Factor for sponsoring this video because this 31day series wouldn’t be possible without them. Between the time it takes to research each team and produce these videos while balancing my personal life, I just don’t have time to cook for myself. with Factor. In just a matter of 2 minutes, I can get a fully prepared meal on the table without worrying about preparation, cooking, or cleaning up. Just simply unbox, heat it up, and enjoy. The meals are fresh, never frozen, and there’s a ton of variety. Recently, they’ve doubled the size of their menu to 80 plus rotating weekly meals. So whether you’re craving a steak, a chicken breast, a calorie smart, or vegan option, Factor’s got you covered. For me personally, it’s bulk season, so I’ve been loving their protein plus options. And eating clean has never been easier for me since signing up for Factor, which is why I’m super excited to bring you guys a special offer. Head to factor75.com or click the link below and use code hoop venuef50 to get 50% off plus free breakfast for a year. You heard that right, that’s code hoop venue fb50 at factor75.com to get 50% off plus free breakfast for a year. One of Phoenix’s bigger moves over the offseason was to bring in Mark Williams. He’s a really interesting defensive player because he’s got some insane tools yet hasn’t figured out how to apply them into consistent value. As a legit seven-footer with a 7 foot6 wingspan, his standing reach is 9 ft 9 in, which is the highest of any player. Yeah, even surpassing Victor Webbyama. With that size, he’s a springy vertical athlete. So, when he’s in the right spot, it isn’t easy to score on him. However, he’s not always in the right spot. Actually, between awkward positioning, bad technique against pick and roll, and struggles with physicality, he really doesn’t alter as many shots around the basket as you’d think, while also lacking the mobility to switch onto the ball or cover a ton of ground in space. That’s also how I described the 10th overall pick from this year’s draft, Kan Maluash. Much like with Mark, we’re talking about raw tools. Remember how Mark’s 9’9 standing reach was number one? Maluash is second at 9’8, boasting a 7’5 wingspan. Similarly though, he’s inconsistent with his positioning, struggles with physicality at times, and doesn’t have the foot speed to consistently switch on to smaller players. However, the difference is that he’s a serious rim deterrent because of his motor and activity while being a rangy enough athlete to cover tons of ground on closeouts or rotations. Most importantly though, he’s already shown serious versatility in various pick and roll coverages, which might be the most important skill for a defensive big in today’s NBA. Still, we’re talking about raw tools. He just turned 19 years old and isn’t the most NBA ready prospect. So, it’s going to take some time to develop. The problem is that neither of their other bigs, Oso Agodaro or Nick Richards are high impact defensive players. So, the Suns defense is going to come down to their ability to contain the ball on the perimeter. I mentioned Dun’s versatility, and while that helps, I do think he’ll end up spending a lot of time in that secondary rim protector role. Royce can hold up pretty well, but is far from a defensive stopper on the wing. They’re going to be relying on Dylan Brooks to essentially be a one-man defense at times. And to his credit, he’s one of the best man defenders in the league. But there’s only so much one individual can do, especially when the depth chart is filled with limited defensive players like Colin Gillespie or Grayson Allen, as well as guys who aren’t necessarily liabilities, but still lack in key areas like Jaylen Green or Devin Booker. All that’s to say, I think they got slightly better on defense from last year. Well, they were the fourth worst defense in the league and the worst by a landslide in the games without KD. So, they should still finish as a bottom 10 defense, which means they’re going to have to find their success on offense. Like I mentioned, Kevin Durant shotmaking was their floor, and without it, they couldn’t score the ball. While Jaylen Green doesn’t come close to replacing that aspect of the offense, especially in the mid-range, I do think there’s value in his ability to pressure defenses from high value spots. For starters, he’s one of the highest volume pull-up three-point shooters in the league, attempting nearly five every 36 minutes over the last three seasons, which is about three times as many as Durant. What I’m mainly focused on, though, is the way his athleticism helps him get to the rim, which is something the Suns didn’t have last year. That’s another reason those big athletic centers can make a huge difference. While Mark Williams is still raw on defense, I’d say he’s already a very good offensive big. Along with the size and athleticism, he’s got incredible hands, great instincts for moving without the ball to make himself a target, and he cleans the offensive glass. He’s also capable of punishing mismatches with low post seals, and the overall result is a big-time interior scorer who also draws a lot of fouls where he made 80% of his free throws. The icing on the cake, though, is that he’s also a solid passer and decision maker. So, he’s the type of dynamic pick and roll big who poses a unique challenge for literally any coverage. Maluash hasn’t shown to be quite as versatile, but has the tools to be a big-time rim runner. There’s even been some flashes of an outside shot, so he might be a pick and pop threat long term. Of course, the key word there is long-term because, as I mentioned with the defense, he’s still a bit of a project. What’s important though is that the team got bigger and more athletic on offense, which should help unlock Booker who’s at his best working off of screens. Point Booker is going to have to be the way for them. They lost Taius Jones, Monte Morris, and Bradley Beal over the summer, who were their other three go-to ball handlers. And the lack of a true offensive organizer does seem like a weak point with the roster. Unless they’re planning to play Colin Gillespie or Jared Butler big minutes, it looks like Jaylen and Book are going to be the point guards. I actually want to take a second to focus on Butler, though. I don’t like to overindex on preseason, but he just had a huge performance that was filled with flashes that go back to his first few seasons. Between a good change of pace, crafty handle, and functional strength, he can get downhill where he can score in a variety of ways, including with a floater or even a short mid-range pull-up game. He pairs that inside the arc scoring pressure with low risk but effective passing. So, there’s some real juice to his game as a creator. He hasn’t been a consistent rotation player yet, but in the time he’s played, he’s even had pretty decent indicators as a shooter, looking about average in both off the dribble and off the catch situations. The one big drawback with Butler is that he’s very ball dominant. Almost all of his offense starts in isolation or out of pick and roll. And as a bench player, it’s hard to earn the responsibility that comes with running an offense. With that said, Booker is one of the best offball players in the league. And like I said, they’ve got pick and roll bigs. So, it could be the perfect fit for him to prove himself. Along with the lack of a point guard on the roster, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a big opportunity. I honestly think there’s a decent bit to like on offense. They’ve got some solid slashers, athletic rim runners, while still having Booker’s flexibility in shotmaking. And then they can surround these guys with tons of shooting. Gillespie’s got a tiny sample, only 88 total attempts, but so far he’s been good. Don is letting that thing fly, just at an extremely low percentage that needs to come up. I’m referring to Royce, Allen, and Brooks, though, because they should always have one or two quality spot-up shooters on the court. Then if you include Booker and Green, who both space the floor in their own way, the offense should be mostly wide open for everyone to do what they do best. How much of this translates to one lineup though? Allen is the best floor spacer. a front line of him, Green, and Booker just isn’t going to contain the ball. Dun’s the only secondary rim protector. Defenses aren’t going to guard him on the three-point line, which then takes away the openness of the offense. And unless Butler’s in the game, these lineups do really lack playmaking. There’s lots of raw talent in the front court. Each guy has unique skills that have yet to be applied into consistent two-way value. And the result is a really limited team on both sides of the ball that has a lot to be excited about, but also a lot to worry about. I still view shotmaking as a strength, but that’s about it. I don’t see much two-way flexibility with this team. They don’t have many secondary rim protectors or rebounders. And I think in order to produce an above average offense, they’re going to have to sacrifice defense. In a stacked West, I’m expecting them to fall well below 500. They could sneak into a playin appearance. I just wouldn’t count on it. I like to think of this season as a bit of a gap year. There’s so much to be excited about moving forward. I’m not completely out on Jaylen Green. We’ve seen the Flashes and he’s only 23. With a fresh start as an offensive focal point, he could continue growing. Beyond that, the young core is filled with unique skill sets that teams would want. Kaman Malawash as a Tuli 2A big, Mark Williams as a monster play finisher with defensive upside. Ryan Dunn as an incredibly versatile defender with room for growth on offense. And even guys like Oso Igodaro, Jared Butler, or the four other rookies they picked up over the summer. Then they’ve got an awesome mix of vets for their young core to learn from, grow with, and spend time on the court next to featuring multiple shooters, defenders, and of course, Devin Booker. So, while they might not have what it takes to be truly competitive now, things aren’t so bad in Phoenix. [Music]

Use code HOOPVENUEFB50 to get 50% OFF plus free breakfast for 1 year at https://bit.ly/3VJK47h!

The Phoenix Suns had the most active offseason of any team, making a number of moves to build one of the NBA’s most unique rosters. But what can we make of their future?

► Podcast: https://youtube.com/@UCWgmbxQAwa93RxnxaeWJCHw
► Website: https://www.hoopvenue.com/
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/hoopvenue_
► Instagram: https://instagram.com/hoopvenue_
► Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PSsJBUt7g6