News Suns Team Notes

[Phoenix Suns]

SBN Reacts: Fans want Ryan Dunn to start

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Phoenix Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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Four of the five starting lineup spots appear as a lock for the upcoming season. Devin Booker and Jalen Green will man the guard spots, Mark Williams will be the staring center, and Dillon Brooks will play small forward. The power forward position is the one in question.

The top candidates for the position are Ryan Dunn, Royce O’Neale, Nigel Hayes-Davis, and Rasheer Flemming. This past week, we asked Suns fans who should be the starting power forward, and they had a clear answer.

I think the fans got this one right. The Suns’ offseason has been a lot about getting and playing a younger style of basketball, reflected by them keeping Khaman Maluach and moving up to get both Flemming and Koby Brea. Dunn fits that mold, and he’ll be given an opportunity to solidify his role on the team for the future. For a starting unit that projects to lack a strong defensive prowess, Dunn is the best option at the position to fortify the defense in the first five. Additionally, Dunn played significantly better last season when he was starter, averaging more points, rebounds, and assists when he started. While he’s undersized, Dunn’s near 7’1” wingspan makes up for his 6’8” height.

I’m surprised that Nigel-Hayes Davis got the second most votes, considering his age and uncertainty, but I’m not surprised that O’Neale got the least amount of votes of the power forwards on the team. While he may be the most reliable, because of his age, he doesn’t project to be a part of the team long-term, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s shipped to a title contender that lacks forward depth, like the Cleveland Cavaliers, FanDuel’s Eastern Conference Champion favorite, during the season.

This season looks to be one full of player and team development, and if Dunn is the starter, he gets to build off of his rookie campaign which saw inconsistent minutes and play from a game-to-game basis. If he starts, Dunn and Booker would be the only returning players to be in the starting lineup. He could add a level of continuity to a unit that projects to have little of it.

While a lot can change, expect Dunn to be the starter where he’ll have an opportunity alongside Dillon Brooks to guard some of the Western Conference’s toughest wings and work on his offensive game.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...-forward-ryan-dunn-devin-booker-dillon-brooks

 

[Phoenix Suns]

What does a successful season look like for Dillon Brooks?

We’re continuing our Bright Side series by exploring what success looks like for each Suns player in 2025–26.

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The addition of Dillon Brooks is something Suns fans should not overlook.

He is everything they have been missing since the departure of Jae Crowder. An instigator. A protector of stars. A starter of scuffles. Brooks is polarizing, no question about it. He is loved by teammates and loathed by opponents.

He is the guy who thrives in hostility, who takes on the toughest defensive assignment, and who does not flinch when tempers flare. For all the criticism he has faced in recent years, there is a truth here that Suns fans know all too well: every good team needs a villain of their own. Phoenix has not had one in quite some time.

Boy, could the Suns have used a player like Brooks alongside Durant and Booker.

The chip on his shoulder should only grow with another team moving on from him. At 29 years old, he’s at an inflection point in his career. Does he take a leap and grow into something more, or is he exactly who he is, for better or worse?

Let’s take a look at what a successful season looks like for Dillon Brooks.

The Numbers​

The Suns do not need Brooks to be a 20-point scorer. They need him to bring toughness every single night, to set the defensive tone, and to hold his teammates accountable when things get sloppy. If he can deliver that, his addition might be one of the most important steps Phoenix takes in building its next identity.

Last season, Brooks averaged 14.0 points per game, the 4th-highest total of his 8-year career. From 2019 through 2022, he averaged 16.2, 17.2, and 18.4 points per game, respectively.

There will be an opportunity for Brooks to get back to that level, especially coming from a well-balanced Rockets team that had several scoring options. In Phoenix, he lines up to be the third option behind Booker and Green, leaving plenty of opportunity for the former Oregon Duck.

For reference, these are the points per game of players who will be rostered next season in Phoenix. Granted, the context behind these numbers isn’t linear due to drastically different team situations for all.

• Devin Booker — 25.6 PPG
• Jalen Green — 21.0 PPG
• Mark Williams — 15.3 PPG
• Dillon Brooks — 14.0 PPG
• Grayson Allen — 10.6 PPG
• Nick Richards — 9.5 PPG
• Royce O’Neale — 9.1 PPG

That being said, there could be some more offensive upside that remains untapped. This could be the exact environment for him to showcase his scoring output.

Last season, he shot a career-best 39.7% from three-point range on a career-high 6.3 attempts. That exceeded his career mark of 35.5% by a pretty significant margin. If he can hover in the 37-40 percentage range from deep, then that’s a win for Phoenix.

There is some juice there offensively. I predict around 16.5 points per game this season. Heck, he could even approach the 18 ppg mark if things really click.

Dillon Brooks this season:

14.0 PTS
39.7 3PT% (career high)
6.3 3PA/g (career high)

• 45.9% on mid range jumpers (top 20 in the NBA)
• 10 threes against Boston (tied for the Rockets franchise record for made threes in a game)

One of the most underrated players in the NBA. pic.twitter.com/VrDJ16nxWR

— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) April 18, 2025

Outside of the defense, intangibles, and shooting, one of Brooks’ most important traits for the Suns will be availability. He has played in 72 or more games in three consecutive seasons.

Jalen Green appeared in all 82 games a season ago as well, so adding a pair of reliable, capable NBA starters should help the Suns quite a bit. Booker, Green, and Brooks will be responsible for a massive chunk of the offensive workload.

How much does an increased offensive burden impact his defense? That’s something to monitor, especially in games where one of Booker or Green are out, struggling, or in foul trouble.

Jalen Green is excited about what Dillon Brooks will do in Phoenix! (via @PlayersTribune) pic.twitter.com/wAXc2ltIO2

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) July 23, 2025

The Suns are not asking Dillon Brooks to reinvent himself. They are asking him to bring the toughness, defensive intensity, and edge that have defined his career, but to channel it in a way that elevates the team rather than distracts from it.

If Dillon Brooks can strike a balance on both ends, he could end up being more than just a role player. He could be the heartbeat of a younger Suns roster that desperately needs an identity.

For a franchise in transition, that might be exactly what success looks like.

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Listen to the latest podcast episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below.

Stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...-crowder-replacement-defense-scoring-identity

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Suns Reacts Survey: Offense or defense. Which one will really decide the Phoenix Suns season?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Phoenix Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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There will be no shortage of newness with the Phoenix Suns this season. 61% of the roster turned over, eleven fresh faces in purple and orange, plus a new general manager and a first-time head coach. With that comes speculation, curiosity, and plenty of unanswered questions.

We all have theories about who this team will become, how they’ll function, and whether they’ll succeed. We craft our arguments, we point to patterns, but the truth is simple: until this version of the Phoenix Suns takes the floor, we’re no wiser than the next fan in line.

There’s no blueprint to pull from with Jordan Ott. He’s never held the reins as an NBA head coach. It’s not like Frank Vogel, where the label of “defensive coach” provided a framework. Or Mike Budenholzer, who carried a clear identity of spacing and threes. With Ott, it’s all question marks and all projection.

So the real question becomes: what matters more this season? Offensive execution or defensive execution? Balance is always the ideal, sure, but when you sketch out your version of what these Suns will be, which side carries more weight? Do you believe their path to success lies in a collective, connected defense that builds trust possession by possession? Or do you put your chips on the offense? On a first-year head coach implementing a scheme that maximizes talent and sets a rhythm this roster has lacked?

Year one won’t define Jordan Ott as a head coach, but it will reveal what he values most; what his true basketball philosophy looks like when the ball tips. In his opening press conference, Ott made it clear: he wants to win the possession battle. That means forcing turnovers and controlling the glass.

Love this. Phoenix Suns first-time head coach Jordan Ott on styles of play he plans to inject next year:

– embedding pace by creating good shots earlier in the clock, noting the plummeting eFG% curve as the shot clock descends
– finding ways to create extra possessions, noting… pic.twitter.com/MfTHvQdZRd

— Skyler Reinhardt (@ReinhardtSkyler) June 28, 2025

The problem? He doesn’t exactly have a roster built to dominate the boards. Mark Williams helps, no doubt, but whoever takes the power forward spot, whether it be Ryan Dunn or Royce O’Neale, comes with limitations. Neither has a history of being the kind of physical, high-volume rebounder you’d lean on to swing games. Which means, if Ott wants to hold true to his own philosophy, it’ll have to be rebounding by committee.

And that’s where things get interesting. Does Ott stick to his stated principles, tailoring everything around possessions won and possessions lost? Or does he adjust on the fly, bending his philosophy to match the roster instead of forcing the roster to fit the philosophy?

From your perspective, what should take precedence? Is it defense-first, grinding out extra possessions? Or is it maximizing this roster’s offensive talent, even if it means living with some rebounding shortcomings? Drop your thoughts below.

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Listen to the latest podcast episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below.

Stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...ach-defense-vs-offense-rebounding-2025-season

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Would you still be a Suns fan if you knew they’d never win it all?

It’s the dead of the offseason, that strange desert where no games are played and all we’ve got are hypotheticals and half-baked debates to keep us hydrated. So I’ve been dipping into my little treasure chest of 101 offseason questions. Last time, I ranted about the speaker system inside PHX Arena, because why not? This time, I’m wading into something a little more existential: would I still root for the Phoenix Suns if I knew with absolute certainty they’d never win a title?

Silly question, right? Maybe. But silly questions are often the best portals into real conversations, the kind that dig under your fingernails and make you examine why you’re here in the first place.

So let’s get uncomfortably honest. Why do we watch sports? Why do we sign up for this endless loop every single year? It’s not complicated. It’s drama, pure and uncut. Some people tune into reality TV, some lean on soap operas. Me? I mainline basketball. Sports has the same beats as Hollywood. You have heroes, villains, heartbreak, and redemption. But the stakes are real, the outcomes unwritten. There’s always a winner. There’s always a loser. Every game is a story stitched together by sweat and strategy, where physical ability collides with mental willpower to see who rises and who folds.

And unlike The Real World (do they still make that show?), sports never get stale. Sitcoms recycle tropes, dramas run their arcs into the ground, reality shows eventually script their chaos. But every season of sports introduces new characters, fresh narratives, and unscripted madness. That’s the hook. That’s why we keep coming back, even if the ending, the championship parade, never arrives.

In this endless tug-of-war between winning and losing, the real magic isn’t in the scoreboard. It’s in the characters. Sports, like television, is a sprawling drama filled with arcs, betrayals, and heroes you swear by. Think of Game of Thrones. You didn’t watch it passively. You pledged allegiance. Maybe you flew the banner of House Stark because of honor, or maybe you lit the pyres with House Targaryen because you craved fire and blood. Sometimes it was the colors, sometimes the values, sometimes the chaos. But inevitably, you found yourself aligned.

That’s what fandom is. It isn’t a guarantee of victory. It’s the bond you’ve stitched with a team. When they win, you feel like you’ve been knighted in triumph. When they lose, you demand answers, dissecting the wreckage like a detective at a crime scene, searching for how it all unraveled and what might rise from the ashes next time.

So back to the question: If I knew the Phoenix Suns would never win a championship, would I still root for them?

Absolutely. Because yes, a championship is the mountaintop. The glittering prize. But to only back a team for the rings is to miss the marrow of the thing. You strip away the arcs, the gut-punch losses, the comebacks that make your blood boil, and you’re left with something sterile. Something empty.

Our reasons for fandom are as varied as fingerprints. Geography, family allegiances, or maybe because purple and orange looked damn good when you were a kid. But the connective tissue is the same: this shared, collective ride with your fellow believers. That bond doesn’t get forged in champagne parades; it’s hammered out in the trenches, in the years when the flames are low, in the nights you suffer together. That’s what makes the fire burn hotter.

Would it sting to know the Suns will never hoist the trophy? Of course. You’d question your sanity, wonder why you kept feeding your heart to something that can’t pay you back with the ultimate reward. But if the only reason you watch is for the coronation, you’re missing the essence. The tears you shed when a title comes aren’t from the trophy, they’re from the scars of every season that tried to break you. I know. I’ve felt that catharsis with the Dodgers. Ecstasy, heartbreak, rinse, repeat.

So, one last time: would I root for the Phoenix Suns knowing they’ll never win it all? I would. Because without that uncertainty, without the struggle, without the absurd maddening hope, the story collapses. And what’s sports without the story?

Silly question? Maybe. But that’s August for you.

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Listen to the latest podcast episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below.

Stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, Castbox.

Please subscribe, rate, and review.

Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...-winning-nba-championship-why-fans-still-root