An NBA preseason should be presented with a giant asterisk, a ring-pop-sized grain of salt, especially since half of the Phoenix Suns’ prep for 2025-26 was spent overseas.
Still, we’re reading between the lines, taking hints and guesstimating what first-year coach Jordan Ott’s preseason tells us about what this team looks like.
In terms of style, the roster construction and preseason play aren’t surprising. This version of the Suns is younger and built to make on-ball defense a priority. Hustle, Phoenix hopes, can make up for being overaggressive — deflections, stops and steals should put the Suns in transition to get into early offense and bomb away from three often.
On the way to a 3-1 preseason record, the Suns created the third-most steals per 100 possessions and ranked ninth in block rate NBA-wide as of Wednesday morning. They are fifth in preseason defensive rating.
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The offensive numbers all found themselves in the middle of the road leaguewide, though it’s notable Phoenix was seventh in assists per 100 possessions, which aligns with the eyeball test that the ball movement is solid.
Phoenix was also top-five in turnover rate and the most foul-prone team in the league, things that make sense if your team is 1) aggressive and 2) inexperienced.
Again: Giant grain of salt.
But what did we learn about players on this revamped roster?
We seem to know the core rotation guys
Devin Booker is the man. Jalen Green and Mark Williams will bolster the lineup once healthy.
The wing position group will be led by villain Dillon Brooks and sophomore Ryan Dunn, and there’s your full projected starting five.
After that? The Suns made clear at media day that Grayson Allen’s summer work has put him in position to be leaned on heavily, and he will be a key shooter behind Booker and Green off the bench.
Toss Royce O’Neale in here because a reliable, willing shooter who can D up is always important.
We’re at seven players now, and this is where we probably end sure things for a Day 1 rotation.
There are offshoots to go from here.
Collin Gillespie has cemented himself as the backup point guard based on minutes played in the first three preseason games and his rest time in the preseason finale on Tuesday.
With Williams out, Oso Ighodaro notably got the center starts in the first three preseason games.
It seems this team will utilize a deeper bench with optionality.
Will Khaman Maluach be in the center rotation?
Through three preseason games, Khaman Maluach appeared to be on the outside looking in.
Ighodaro was starting as an undersized, downhill roller and ball-mover. Nick Richards put in a strong case to be another option as a bruiser and volume rebounder. Maluach at times looked a step slow processing things on defense and rushed his attempts on offense.
But getting a start against the Lakers on Tuesday gave Maluach a chance to find his rhythm immediately.
He went 8-for-10 for 17 points, disrupted pick-and-roll work by Lakers starters in Luka Doncic and former Suns No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton and even popped for a smooth 3-pointer.
this sequence from the Suns ? pic.twitter.com/EFF8aNlCqn
— Cage (@ridiculouscage) October 15, 2025
At this point, it’s not clear if Maluach will get straight-up backup minutes or if Phoenix will go with a matchup-based rotation at center.
Suns fans should prepare to see the prized rookie get slow-rolled. But if the last preseason game is an indication, his learning curve might have room to make a sharp turn for immediate time.
Suns have questions at jumbo wing
Some people call it power forward, but jumbo wing just feels more accurate at this time in the basketball universe.
We’ve addressed the Suns are going to have rebounding concerns, where Brooks and Dunn will need to do some work (It’s notable Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin are two underrated rebounders as point guards).
Brooks is a streaky shooter, and Dunn still must prove he can sniff league average for the spacing to work. There will be ugly shooting nights from both of them this season, but their defense will set the tone. Will Dunn develop into a top-tier stopper, and will that come with the versatility to face anyone from point guards to power forwards? Or is someone else going to have to handle the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Steph Curry assignments?
Beyond them: Who even earns playing time?
O’Neale can play up a position, but there’s a reason Phoenix did so much maneuvering to land Rasheer Fleming in the second round. The Suns signed Nigel Hayes-Davis from overseas, but his preseason left more questions than answers.
On-ball decision-making is a concern for the rookie as well as the EuroLeague veteran. Both are probably at their best as catch-and-shoot options, not working too much off the bounce.
Defensively, Fleming’s length raised eyebrows with enough frequency in the preseason that he should be seriously considered for playing time, as Empire of the Suns podcast co-host Kellan Olson punched home Tuesday night.
Was he getting blown by and was out of position at times? Yes. Did he recover to chase down players from behind with his hustle? Also, yes.
It’s worth floating the idea that Ighodaro could see time at the 4 as he did in Summer League, but that’s not enough shooting in today’s NBA.
And two-way man Isaiah Livers could have a say here with his track record and arsenal that includes a viable shot.
Optionality at backup point guard
Let’s start here: The past two seasons of problems with, first, no point guard and, then, the savior starting point guard who lost his starting job can be traced back to some combination of coaching ineptitude and the very real complexity of having three on-ball scorers not puzzle-piecing together.
The Suns this preseason showed how to function without a true point guard while at the same time not burning out Booker. Granted, they might have to burn him out if Green is sidelined for a longer stretch than just the first few games of the regular season.
Everyone from Brooks to Dunn to Maluach will bring the ball past the half-court line, and from there, it’s on the entire team to run offense. Seems simple. So far, it looked good.
But Phoenix did stock the backend of the roster with a variety of point guard options, like it did for center.
Gillespie can hope to be T.J. McConnell Light, where defensive pestering and enough scoring punch give the Suns a threat there.
Goodwin is the guy to throw at Steph Curry or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for 15-20 minutes a night as an attempt at burning them out, while Jared Butler’s quick trigger is a complementary option. Whether both Goodwin and Butler make the final roster is a question.
Here’s a depth chart
G: Devin Booker, Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, Jared Butler
G: Jalen Green, Grayson Allen
F: Ryan Dunn, Royce O’Neale
F: Dillon Brooks, Nigel Hayes-Davis, Rasheer Fleming
C: Mark Williams, Oso Ighodaro, Nick Richards, Khaman Maluach
Two-way: Koby Brea, Isaiah Livers, C.J. Huntley
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