Phoenix Suns insider gives prediction for 2025-26 season
Arizona Republic writer Duane Rankin gives his prediction for the Phoenix Suns’ 2025-26 season, including win-loss record and playoff chances.
The Phoenix Suns begin a three-game road trip Friday, Oct. 24, against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome, at 7:30 p.m. MST.
The game will air on Arizona’s Family (3TV) and Arizona’s Family Sports.
The Suns won their season opener in comeback fashion, 120-116, over the Sacramento Kings, while the Clippers dropped their opener on the road to the Utah Jazz, 129-108, Oct. 22. Phoenix trailed by 20 points in the second quarter before rallying back in delivering Jordan Ott his first career win as an NBA head coach. Devin Booker scored a game-high 31 points and Dillon Brooks posted 22 to lead the Suns (1-0).
As for the Clippers (0-1), they were down 43-19 at the end of the first quarter to a team that’s predicted to finish last in the Western Conference after having the NBA’s worst record last season at 17-65. Former Suns guard Bradley Beal managed just five points on 2-of-5 shooting in 20 minutes. The Suns bought out Beal after two seasons, with the latter one ending in 36 wins.
Visit azcentral.com for updates on the game.
Green out, will likely sit for entire road trip
The Suns will be without Jalen Green, who missed the opener with a right hamstring strain. Green didn’t play in the preseason and isn’t expected to play in the Saturday, Oct. 25, game at Denver in the second of a back-to-back. He isn’t ruled out for the Monday, Oct. 27, game against the Jazz to end the road trip, but considering the lack of practice time, the odds appear to be against him playing in that game.
Green was scheduled to make the road trip. The new Suns guard didn’t miss a game in his last two seasons with the Houston Rockets. The Suns acquired Brooks, Green and the 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft, 7-footer Khaman Maluach, from the Rockets in the Kevin Durant trade.
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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