The Phoenix Suns were one of the feel-good stories of the NBA last season, but their 14-17 record after February 5, followed by a sweep out of the playoffs, could mean that bringing back the same core (almost) is setting them up for failure.
Suns didn’t get significantly better while rivals made their move
It is one thing to finish the regular season strong and build momentum, but the Suns didn’t do that. Instead, they got rid of two of their top-eight players in Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, while Devin Booker is about to turn 30 years old.
The biggest moves they made outside of that were bringing back the trio of Dillon Brooks, Jordan Goodwin, and Collin Gillespie, all of whom were available down the stretch and contributed to that 14-17 finish. Worse still is the fact that center Mark Williams was unavailable for the postseason, but he was extended anyway and will miss significant time with a shoulder injury.
The one other major addition the franchise made was forward Miles Bridges, a high-level scorer who has never made an All-Star team and will want a contract extension before long.
Compare all this to the Utah Jazz, for example, who are loading their roster with young talent and a ton of crazy high upside. Even the Portland Trail Blazers discovered they have one of the best 15/20 players in the league in Deni Avdija, almost five years Booker’s junior.
The Suns have the veteran players, improving youngsters (with the sad exception of Ryan Dunn) and a settled coaching staff to be competitive again. Still, how they faltered late last season despite being mostly healthy is a quiet cause for concern.
Jalen Green addition coincided with worrying decline
Green was injured for much of his first season with the franchise, although interestingly, he was available when the Suns went on their uninspiring run. Given that his fit next to Booker has always looked clunky, the two could be linked.
In the playoffs, especially, the Oklahoma City Thunder were able to use their size to pick on Green’s lack of defensive ability, and while Gillespie would have been treated the same, it is not a good look for Green’s own chances of being in Phoenix long-term.
Fans are right to be optimistic about what the 2026-27 season could hold, but there is no denying they are leaning into a group that sputtered to a halt when the games really mattered.
