5 most important Phoenix Suns players not named Devin Booker

Devin Booker is clearly the Suns’ best player, but he won’t be a one-man show in Phoenix.

It’ll look that way sometimes, but the new-look Phoenix Suns have some talent despite NBA.com ranking them No. 13 in its offseason power rankings of the 15 Western Conference teams.

Here are Phoenix’s five most important players — not named Devin Booker.

Ryan Dunn Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) is defended by Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) during the first quarter at PHX Arena on March 24, 2025.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) is defended by Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) during the first quarter at PHX Arena on March 24, 2025.

He was the best defensive prospect heading into the 2024 draft out of Virginia.

Dunn then took on the challenge of guarding the league’s top perimeter players, wound up starting in place of Bradley Beal and averaged 9.4 points in 44 starts last season.

He’s continued to work on his 3-point shooting after hitting 31.3% from distance as a rookie.

At 6-8, Dunn is athletic, long and has room to grow in terms of scoring in multiple ways (off the dribble, post-ups, cuts), rebounding and being a secondary playmaker.

Dunn averaged fewer than four rebounds and less than one assist last season. If he’s going to start at, say, the four, Dunn will have to be solid on the defensive boards.

This summer, Dunn said Suns general manager Brian Gregory “wants dogs.” While having offensive growth is important, the Suns drafted Dunn for his defense.

He can set the defensive tone Phoenix wants to establish moving forward. If Dunn grows in those areas, he becomes a guy you can’t take off the court — and a trade asset.

Teams recognize his potential and may be willing to offer a late first-round pick for Dunn.

Having a rookie contract makes him even more attractive.

Jalen Green

The Houston Rockets dealt Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft — Duke freshman 7-footer Khaman Maluach — to the Suns to acquire Kevin Durant before the draft.

Out of those three, Green is the guy with All-Star talent.

Averaging 20.1 points in his four NBA seasons, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft is explosive, finishes around the rim and shot a career-best 35.4% from 3 last season.

Green is also durable, as he played all 82 games in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 regular seasons.

However, Green has considerable room to grow on defense. It looked as if Rockets coach Ime Udoka sat Green down late in games when the team needed defensive stops.

The Suns need him on the floor to take some of the offensive burden off Booker, especially if he’s going to be a primary ball handler.

Green’s shown the ability to make good decisions, even though it didn’t result in a high assist average (3.4 a game last season).

If Green isn’t solid on defense, first-year head coach Jordan Ott will have to make a tough decision — stick with the team’s second-best player late in games or sit him.

Dillon Brooks

He’s going to be a fan favorite right away.

Brooks is intense, plays hard and is physical and edgy. He’s already talked about being eager to pick up that first technical foul for a home game.

The fiery forward racked up the second-most technical fouls of any player last season with 16. Only Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards collected more with 17.

Brooks is familiar with the whistle. He led the NBA in most total fouls twice (2020-21 season with 237 and 2019-20 with 278) and finished fourth last season with 242.

However, Brooks has much more to his game.

He knocks down 3s — shot a career-best 39.7% from distance on a career-high 6.3 attempts. That’s rare. Shooting percentages tend to fall when attempting more shots.

Brooks gets after it on defense as he can guard multiple positions.

He’s a winner, too.

The Memphis Grizzlies went 22-60 in Brooks’ rookie season. He played all 82 games. Since then, Brooks has played 410 regular-season games. His teams went 232-178 in those games. Brooks has earned the trust of coaches to play down the stretch of games.

He’ll likely do the same with a first-year guy in Ott.

Mark Williams/Khaman Maluach

We’ll count them as one of the five since these two may share the court based on Maluach taking 3s during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, but Mark Williams should open the season starting at center.

Teams typically don’t trade first-round picks for a guy and have him come off the bench.

Williams averaged 15.3 points on 60.4% shooting and 10.2 rebounds in his third NBA season, but he only played 44 games due to injuries in 2024-25.

Williams has played in just 106 games in three seasons. The Los Angeles Lakers traded for him before the 2025 trade deadline, but Williams failed the team physical.

The trade was rescinded. Bad look for Williams, but he averaged 14.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in 14 games after the trade deadline.

Williams is in the final year of a four-year, $18-million deal. He’ll be a restricted free agent after this season. He needs to have a big year to receive a bigger, long-term deal.

If Williams stays healthy and produces, he’ll get paid and the Suns can develop Maluach at a moderate pace in his rookie year.

However, the Suns must have him ready to start in case Williams goes down with an injury.

Khaman Maluach #10 of the Phoenix Suns

Maluach is a lob threat who can get on the offensive glass and protect the rim, but he has a soft touch that can lead to becoming a scoring force.

He’s the Suns’ future at center.

The Suns hope to hold off on really needing him at least for one year. Only 18, Maluach could use a year of NBA development without the daily pressure of having to produce.

Having a healthy Williams can help with that. The Suns can also see if those two can play together — and with whoever else is on the court — to decide if it can work long-term.

Whoever Phoenix trades for?

The Suns have made deals before the trade deadline in each of the three seasons with Mat Ishbia as a team owner.

Odds say they’ll do it again this season.

With the Suns looking to establish a tough, physical and effort identity, if they make a trade, it should be for someone who fits that role and thus be an important addition.

They need a point guard and someone to play the four with some size.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 5 most important Phoenix Suns not named Devin Booker this season

5 most important Phoenix Suns players not named Devin Booker

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