Jordan Ott details what it is like to coach Dillon Brooks on Suns
Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott explains how much and why he likes having Dillon Brooks on his team.
Diannie Chavez and Diana Payan/The Republic
PALM DESERT – The Phoenix Suns enter their first preseason game on Friday, Oct. 3, against the Los Angeles Lakers at Acrisure Arena, looking for answers.
“We’ll really see when it gets to game time,” Suns first-year coach Jordan Ott said this week. “That’s the important piece. When we get to Friday and we see against another team is our style of play sticking, does it fit with our group?”
Here are five things to watch in the first of four Phoenix preseason games. The Suns will be without big Mark Williams and guard Jalen Green, who was diagnosed with a low-grade hamstring strain on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
“He’ll be with us in China,” Ott said after camp practice on Oct. 2 about Green. “He’ll do what he can to see where we’re at in preseason, but we know the goal is that (Oct. 22 season opener versus Sacramento Kings at Mortgage Matchup Center).
Ott is confident Green will be ready for the season opener.
“We’ll really see when it gets to game time. That’s the important piece. When we get to Friday and we see against another team is our style of play sticking, does it fit with our group.” Suns coach Jordan Ott.
Suns open preseason Friday vs. Lakers in Palm Desert.
On Devin… pic.twitter.com/At9M9cOLHh
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) September 30, 2025
“I think those are all a little tricky,” Ott said of the injury. “Seems to have good strength and improving already. In a good place and we’ll just continue to monitor.”
Center rotation without Mark Williams
Williams, who is expected to start at center this season, will sit out for the Lakers game as the Suns are continuing to build his strength, particularly the lower body.
Williams has done everything in camp except live 5-on-5, Ott said after training camp practice on Oct. 1. It’s unclear whether he’ll play in any of the preseason games as the Suns continue to evaluate where he is as far as getting ready for the season.
The Suns are taking an intentional approach with Williams because he has an injury history that has limited him to 106 games in three seasons.
The Suns have rookie Khaman Maluach, Nick Richards and Oso Ighodaro as options.
‘I added a little bit of weight. I’m 263 now, 262.”
Suns rookie 7-footer Khaman Maluach, who was listed at 253 pounds on Phoenix’s Summer League roster.
On the added size: “It’s been helping. I feel like I’m right there. Still have more work to do. Still have more strength to… https://t.co/nNmKypq8RC pic.twitter.com/OoupA3EwEK
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) September 29, 2025
If the decision is based on experience, Richards will get the nod, but the Suns may find themselves in this situation if Williams has another injury-filled season.
Whoever is out there, how will they defend the pick-and-roll? Richards said Ott wants the Suns up high on the coverage looking to force turnovers.
Ott watched Jarrett Allen play that way while working as an assistant in Cleveland last season.
Maluach has stood out for calling out the defensive coverages in practices. Will he do that against the Lakers? How Maluach holds up physically is another thing to watch. He has added 10 pounds since summer league to put him at 263.
Offensive strategy
The Suns want to play fast to create an advantage on the offensive end.
How will they display that against the Lakers?
Pushing the ball up the court even after giving up a field goal is the initiator, but playing this way requires one to think on the fly, read the defense and make a play.
Ott said the offense may look like “chaos,” but they know what they’re doing. It utilizes screens, cuts off those screens and must make correct reads depending on the coverage.
No Jalen Green
Devin Booker is the go-to player on this team, but he’s encouraging his new backcourt mate, Green, to be himself and “they’ll figure it out around him.”
Ott says the offense is built around the best players.
The Suns will have to wait and see how it functions with the one-on-one strengths of Booker, the master of the mid-range who averaged a career-high 7.1 assists last season, and Green, a freak athlete who gets downhill on the drive.
“I’ve got some gray.”
“I’m still working on it.”
“Just be you and we’ll all figure it out around him.”
Devin Booker full media availability after Day 2 of Phoenix Suns training camp as his last comment is playing alongside new teammate Jalen Green. #Suns pic.twitter.com/9BWehh7Xcs
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) September 26, 2025
For this game, Booker should be the main initiator of the offense, but will he have opportunities to play off the ball and get scoring opportunities off cuts?
Teams typically wait for the main guy to create looks for the second option, but because playing with pace is part of the offensive philosophy, many looks may come just catching the defense out of position.
Defensive pressure
Yes, it’s a preseason game, but the Suns have talked all camp about playing aggressive defense with picking up opponents’ full court or a layer of it. They may do the latter a couple of times, but playing aggressive defense is a major part of the team identity the Suns want to create.
Ryan Dunn drew some of the toughest defensive assignments last season. They were mostly against perimeter players, though.
If he’s playing the four, Dunn will find himself guarding guys his size or bigger.
“For sure, for sure.”
Rasheer Fleming on looking forward to playing against LeBron James as the Suns and Lakers meet Friday in Palm Desert in 1st preseason game.
On confidence: “The main thing for me is I know I belong here. I think the main thing for me is just proving to… https://t.co/mahyKMvqdo pic.twitter.com/4ZNPashuNt
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) September 30, 2025
Dillon Brooks and Dunn are the two main defensive guys.
Rookie forward Rasheer Fleming may be the third.
At 6-foot-8, he’s long, athletic and has shown in camp the ability to guard at a high level, but a great defense in today’s game can switch and not lose their defensive principles.
It’ll be interesting to see how they hold up as a group and individually to discourage the Lakers from targeting one or two guys.
Who will play for the Lakers?
The Lakers started training camp later than the Suns, but this is one of the preseason games geared for fans who don’t have an NBA team in their city or town. It’s a home game for the Lakers.
So, the fans are looking to see LeBron James and Luka Doncic, the two superstars, but James has been dealing with nerve irritation in his glute. He was held out of practice on Sept. 30. It’s doubtful the 40-year-old James plays against the Suns.
Fleming may have to wait to get his chance to guard the veteran player he most wants to defend.
The Lakers signed former Suns big Deandre Ayton after Portland bought him out. It will be interesting to see how Los Angeles utilizes him and what he does against his former team.
The Lakers believe they can compete for a championship. It’s just preseason, but it’s a chance for the Suns to see how they measure up.
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.
Support local journalism. Start your online subscription.