Bright Side Of The Sun - All Posts

The Suns have built great offenses before and it never got them a title

2025-08-04T12:00:00-07:00

Photo by Lutz Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images

Offense vs. Defense: Which is more important?

There’s an old adage in sports: defense wins championships. And in many cases, it holds true.

Take the Cincinnati Bengals from a season ago, a team that could light up the scoreboard. They racked up 472 points and led the NFL with 43 touchdowns. Offensively, they were relentless. But their defense? A sieve. They gave up the second-most touchdowns in the league. And no matter how electric their offense was, the pressure to be perfect every drive became unsustainable. They missed the playoffs entirely.

In baseball, the San Francisco Giants come to mind, the ones who claimed three World Series titles a decade back. They didn’t overwhelm anyone with firepower. What carried them was pitching and defense. They knew how to control the flow of the game.

From a Phoenix Suns perspective, this becomes an even more compelling conversation. Because this franchise has recently delivered some of the most potent offensive basketball in its history.

Two seasons ago, they averaged 116.2 points per game. Last year? 113.6. For reference, the highest single-season scoring average in Suns history was 119.3 points, all the way back in 1969–70.

What is the highest points per game total in Suns history? 119.3 points

The year? 1969-70 pic.twitter.com/VN6IRNqZyl
— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) August 4, 2025

This past year’s squad took and made more threes than any Suns team before it. Their offensive rating? Third-highest in franchise history.

And yet they didn’t even make the playoffs. Why? Because they couldn’t stop anyone.

Their defense ranked 27th in the league. On that end of the floor, they were turnstiles. The effort was inconsistent. The rotations were slow. They traded away their only rim protector midseason and left a gaping hole in the paint. The numbers tell you the story, but so did the eye test: they simply couldn’t defend. And no matter how beautiful the offense looked in moments, it was undone by a defense that couldn’t hold the line.

It’s because of all this — the numbers, the trends, the collapse — that the instinct is to side with defense in the offense-versus-defense debate. And for the most part, I do.

I’ve always had a soft spot for defense, regardless of the sport. Most of my Arizona Cardinals jerseys? Defensive players. Patrick Peterson. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. I’ve always admired the guys who could stare down a fully-loaded offense and simply say, “Not today.”

That mindset has shaped the way I view basketball, too. And maybe that’s why Shawn Marion was my favorite Sun for so many years. Because defense in Phoenix has always been the exception, not the rule. Marion made it an art form. He was everywhere, doing everything, and rarely got the credit he deserved.

Look at the history books. How many Defensive Player of the Year winners have worn a Suns uniform? Zero. How many Suns have made the All-Defensive First Team? Just ten. And nine of those were guards. Don Buse (3), Dennis Johnson (3), Jason Kidd (2), Raja Bell (1), Mikal Bridges (1). That’s the full list.

Defense has never been this franchise’s calling card. Which is exactly why it matters so much when it’s missing. So the natural instinct is to say defense is more important, especially when you consider the Suns’ history. This franchise has had electric offenses, historic scoring seasons, and All-NBA talents. But no championships.

The easy conclusion? They never defended well enough.

And yet, as I look toward next season, I’m not convinced it’s that simple. My fear is that the pendulum has swung too far the other way. That this Suns team might defend at a high level but struggle to score. I wonder where the points will come from, how they’ll close games, and what the offensive identity even looks like in crunch time.

I hope the defense can force enough turnovers to feed the offense in transition. But hope is not a strategy, and speculation is not a system.

In the big picture, balance is the equalizer. You need to score. The game demands it. But defense can shape the game in ways offense can’t. Defense disrupts rhythm. It turns talent into frustration. It gives a team its edge.

So if you asked me which side of the ball I’d choose to prioritize? It’s defense. Always. Because while every game is about putting points on the board, there’s something special about a team that knows how to keep them off. That’s rare. That’s disruptive. And that’s the kind of basketball I love to watch.

Inside the Suns - Topics: Mark Williams, Jordan Ott’s offense, the Suns’ third best offensive player

2025-08-04T05:00:00-07:00

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Your weekly Inside the Suns analysis straight from the BSotS community who live and breathe the team.

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team.

Each week the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1 - Mark Williams’ injury history rightfully concerns many fans. If he misses time this season, who would you prefer the Suns to start in his place at center?

Ashton: If Mark Williams misses a bunch of time due to injury, then that would mean the Lakers organization made the right decision in not trading for him due to a failed physical. In which case, I would start myself at center (I am 5’10”-ish), just to end my own suffering knowing that the Lakers won again.

Everything I am reading about Mark Williams involves ankle sprains and thumb injuries/surgeries, along with a rather disturbing “lower back issue” that has sidelined him for some time. This is the life of the Big Man, who does everything well but probably overexerts himself in pursuit of his craft.

To the question. I think you must roll with a small-ball line-up at the C for decent parts of the game. Nick Richards? Oso? They have most of the veteran experience, and I say that with tongue-and-cheek. But hey, at least it is not Mason Plumlee. This could allow a little more “rest management” for the starting C in Mark Williams.

Ultimately, the easy answer is to put Khaman Maluach in for some serious minutes as the rookie. Is it out of the frying pan, into the fire, then batter him up for a double fry in oil when going back into the frying pan?

Yes, and let’s see if he breaks or just how tasty he is to the Suns fans discerning talent eyes. If you see potential, then more minutes for KM with some starter opportunities.

OldAz: As it stands now, the options are really just Richards and Oso because Maluach is not ready for that, and it would probably set back his development to some extent. With that said, this really dovetails into my answer to #2 because I care more about which center can benefit them more defensively. Since we have not seen how all the parts fit together, my answer is a firm “I have no idea”.

While Oso is undersized, he has shown a much greater ability to switch on the defensive end, while Richards is clearly better equipped to hold his own against an opponent with a more traditional center. Oso also becomes an asset on the offensive end as a facilitator. I think I just talked myself into a center by committee if Mark Williams misses time early in the season.

Rod: If Nick Richards is still on the roster, I’d go with him, but I have my doubts that he’ll still be with Phoenix on opening night. If he’s traded before then, I’d go with Ighodaro because I believe that Maluach just isn’t ready to start in the NBA yet. He has the tools, but is still too young and too raw for it early on. I’d love to see enough progress from him during the season that he could get that nod perhaps later on this year, but I’m not hopeful of that happening quickly. Oso has his shortcomings, but has experience and the BB IQ to get the job done for the most part.

Q2 - Jordan Ott has said he wants the Suns to play at a faster pace this year. Do you like this idea?

Ashton: This is such lip service to the Seven Seconds or Less Sun fans that this question on its own could inspire questions for decades to come. Not naming any specific players here (Nash, Matrix, Stoudemire) that drove this engine and made it so fun for Sun fans to watch.

NY Times:

“Analytics didn’t drive the 2004-05 Phoenix Suns to change the NBA into its current look: four-out, one-in offenses, raining 3-pointers, broken up with the occasional 1-5 pick-and-roll lob”

Now, can this current iteration of Sun’s players do that? As Rod Argent likes to state at times. No.

This team is just not built for it. Book learned from CP3 on how to bring the ball up the court from CP3 while studying the defense. And would get trapped at the half-court line because teams knew he hated that in pick-up games. And 7SOL was a quick-moving passing game.

Turnovers were the bane of the Sun’s season last time. Where I would like to see a quicker-moving game, I just do not see the personnel to do it.

OldAz: Normally, when teams say this, they simply try to push the ball more and take the first open shot. This rarely works unless you have a great PG running the offense. That’s not the case here (Captain Obvious reporting).

However, the other way to play fast is to focus on the defense by playing aggressively, with active hands and clogging the passing lanes. Doing this and being aggressive with live-ball turnovers to increase fast break opportunities also looks a lot like “playing faster,” and I hope it aligns (there’s that word again) with the team's new identity.

Rod: I’ve been wanting to see them pick up the pace for some time now, and I think it will be good for the entire team. The Suns are going to have a lot of youthful legs on the court this season, and I think the faster the pace they play at, the more successful they can be. Let’s try to run the other teams to the brink of exhaustion going into the 4th quarter for a change. There’s a line from an old movie that went something like, “In confusion, there is profit.” Well, if the Suns get out and run early and often, opponents won’t always have time to get back and set up their defense before the Suns are already attacking the basket. In those moments of confusion, the Suns will at least have the opportunity to profit.

And while we know that Book isn’t the greatest passer in a slow half-court game but I’ve seen him throw some beautiful outlet passes on the fast break that led to Suns points in the past (many of which went to a streaking Mikal Bridges) and I doubt he’s lost that ability. All he needs is an offense structured to play at a faster pace to take advantage of that.

No matter how it all pans out, I’ll be happy to just see the team not walk the ball slowly downcourt on the inbounds anymore.

Q3 - Booker and Green are expected to be the Suns’ top 2 scorers this season. Who’s your bet on being their 3rd best bucket getter?

Ashton: Back to Q1. If Mark Williams remains healthy, then he could easily be the third-best bucket getter. Heck, he might be the second-best bucket getter as I am still not sure what Jalen Green brings to the table in this system.

It sounds so simple, but if the threes are not falling, atrocious turnovers are not being committed due to defensive pressure, then MW is your guy on the PnR.

I realize this is more of a vanilla response, but we really do not know what Ott’s offensive philosophy will be for next season. Until we see it.

OldAz: Callback to question #1 here, as I think the injury concerns with Williams are overblown. Booker is at his best when playing the 2-man game with an effective big and I think Williams is set up to be an integral part of what they do offensively this season. Williams should be primed for an improvement over last season, where he averaged just over 15 points on about 10 shots a game.

At the height of the Suns' recent success, DA averaged 17 and 18 on 12-13 shots a game. DA was the Suns' 3rd leading scorer in 20-21 and actually ahead of Paul for 2nd in 21-22. Williams has the capacity to match or even improve upon those results. While Dunn (and Brooks) should see plenty of minutes, he (they) will be one of a few spot-up options on those PnR actions that will share opportunities. As long as I am right about him being healthy, it should easily be Williams.

Rod: I’m going with Mark Williams at the moment. There are a few other guys that I believe have a fairly equal chance of becoming that #3 scorer, but I think Ott is not going to design an offense that will ignore or minimize the center position on offense. Whether it’s Williams, Richards, Maluach or Ighodaro in the game, you’ll have someone out there at the 5 with the potential to put up points if they are fed the ball down low.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

Suns Trivia/History

On August 5, 1999, the Suns traded Pat Garrity, Danny Manning, a 2001 1st round draft pick, and a 2002 1st round draft pick to the Orlando Magic for Anfernee Hardaway. Two years later, as part of a three-team trade, the Magic would trade that same 2002 first-round pick back to the Suns along with Bo Outlaw in exchange for Jud Buechler in order to shed salary and create cap space. The 2002 1st round pick that was traded away and then later reacquired by the Suns was ultimately used by the Suns to draft Amar’e Stoudemire. If not for the Suns’ second trade with Orlando, Amar’e Stoudemire would have likely never been a Phoenix Sun.

On August 8, 2000, Kevin Johnson retired from the Phoenix Suns for the second and final time after being called back into service during the regular season after Jason Kidd broke his ankle. Although Johnson had not played in an NBA game since April of 1998, he stepped right back into the Suns’ starting lineup almost 2 years later to start in six of the Suns’ final 10 regular season games and came off the bench to play in all nine of the Suns’ playoff games before the team was eliminated in the 2nd round by the Lakers. After his 2nd retirement, KJ went to the NBA on NBC studios to call games during the 2000-01 regular season.

Last Week’s Poll Results

Last week’s question was “Where do you expect the Suns’ defense to rank this season?”

18% - Top 10.

73% - 11th to 20th.

09% - Bottom 10.

A total of 278 votes were cast.

Important Future Dates

September 13 - Valley Suns Open Tryouts @ ASU Sun Devil Fitness Complex in Tempe (9 am-12:30 pm)

October 3 - Preseason game vs LA Lakers @ Palm Desert, CA

October 10 - Preseason game vs Brooklyn Nets (China)

October 12 - Preseason game vs Brooklyn Nets (China)

October 14 - Preseason game vs LA Lakers @ Phoenix, AZ

October 21 - Regular Season Begins

Feb. 13-15 - 2026 NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, CA

This week’s poll is...

After years of tracking numbers, these are the ones I still believe in

2025-08-03T10:32:45-07:00

Photo by Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Not all stats are created equal.

When the offseason rolls around, we all start looking for ways to pass the time. It’s been nearly four months since the Phoenix Suns played a meaningful game, and with no Olympics to distract us this summer, there’s been plenty of space for our minds to wander.

Me? I turn to podcasts.

On the way to work, mowing the lawn, cleaning out the garage. If I’m doing something, odds are I’ve got a podcast playing. Maybe that’s part of the reason why so many of us feel constantly overstimulated. We don’t allow ourselves to sit in silence. There’s always a voice in our ear, always something filling the gaps. For me, it’s stories told by strangers and observations sharper than my own. It’s comfort disguised as content. And it keeps the noise of the offseason at bay.

With all of that being said, I recently found myself immersed in a 30 for 30 podcast series about Martin Manley. Heard of him? Probably not. He’s one of those forgotten minds who existed on the fringes of the basketball world. A guy who, in the late ’80s, self-published three editions of a book called Basketball Heaven. His mission? To become basketball’s Bill James.

The 3-point shot changed everything. Martin Manley’s book “Basketball Heaven” pioneered analytical concepts around what drives the game today

30 for 30 Podcast: ‘Chasing Basketball Heaven’ premieres July 22nd on the ESPN App, https://t.co/W4a6zvOwfh, and wherever podcasts are… pic.twitter.com/5q0uoSTpbl
— 30 for 30 (@30for30) July 10, 2025

Manley was overanalyzing the sport before it was cool. He broke down the game mathematically, championing the value of the three-point shot when most coaches still viewed it as a gimmick. He dissected spacing, efficiency, and shot value with a level of rigor that, in hindsight, made him decades ahead of his time.

If Bill James fathered baseball’s sabermetric revolution, giving rise to Moneyball and the Oakland A’s braintrust, then Manley was trying to be that guy for basketball.

But the basketball world didn’t embrace him the same way baseball welcomed James. So, Manley moved on. He wandered into other corners of life, chasing projects, theories, and purpose. I won’t spoil the end of the podcast (it’s six episodes and worth your time) but let’s just say his eccentricity took him down a road that’s as fascinating as it is tragic.

As I listened, one question kept tapping me on the shoulder: what stats actually matter? What are the clearest indicators of a player’s greatness, or a team’s true success? In a sea of data, what signals cut through the noise?

I look at stats a lot. Probably too much. I have what some might call a PhD in navigating NBA.com and Basketball Reference, clicking and cross-referencing my way through rabbit holes of player data and team splits. I’ve got subscriptions to B-Ball Index and Stathead. My bookmarks bar looks like a crime scene investigation, except the only mystery I’m solving is why the Suns can’t defend the corner three.

But this is part of why I love writing for Bright Side.

It’s not just about watching the Suns play, it’s about what comes after. It’s about the process of observation, intuition, and then validation. I see something on the court, I scribble it down mentally, and then I dig into the data to find out if what I saw was real. Was it truth, or was it just a fleeting impression disguised as insight?

There are stats I naturally gravitate toward. Field goal percentages, like batting averages, are easy. They’re the low-hanging fruit. They give you a snapshot. But they don’t always tell the whole story.

If you tell me Devin Booker shot 33.2% from three last season, okay. Sure. That’s a number. But it’s not the truth. The real story is how he got those threes. Was it off the catch? Was he drifting to the corner? Was he creating off the dribble against a late closeout?

Because when you peel back the surface, you’ll find that Booker shot 36.5% on catch-and-shoot threes and just 30.7% on pull-ups. That’s a meaningful split. That’s the kind of number that tells me he’s better when playing off the ball, letting the game flow to him instead of forcing it from 27 feet out. And the fact that he took pull-up three’s 21.3% of the time? Not great, Bob.

Devin Booker's 3PT shooting last year:

C&S: 17.2% frequency, 36.5 3PT%
Pull-Up: 21.3% frequency, 30.7 3PT% pic.twitter.com/HZFW2RxYWU
— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) August 3, 2025

That kind of nuance is my money spot. It’s where numbers start to mirror the eye test. I love effective field goal percentage for that reason too. It’s more accessible, more holistic. It accounts for the value of the three-ball and gives a clearer picture of a player’s overall efficiency. You can compare guys across the league and across roles without the noise.

To me, that’s the fun of it. The dance between what you see and what you can prove. The art of watching basketball through a human lens, and then trying to measure it in code.

Offensive and defensive rating are supposed to be the holy grail. The sport’s best effort to quantify a player’s impact on each side of the ball. In theory, they tell us how efficient a player is when they’re on the floor, how well the offense hums with them out there, how much the defense bends or breaks. But in practice? They’re team-dependent. They’re passengers on the lineup data train. You’re not just measuring one guy; you’re measuring five guys and all the noise that comes with them.

So yeah, I take them with a grain of salt. I use them, sure, to reinforce a point or add context to a conversation. But I’m not shackled to them the way some statheads are. If you want to tell me Player X has a 119.4 offensive rating and a 111.6 defensive rating, cool story. Now show me how that happened. Show me the film. Show me the why.

Now, apply that same metric to a team, and I’m listening. Because when you zoom out and look at offensive and defensive ratings in the aggregate, that’s where it clicks. That’s where it becomes useful. You’re taking in the totality of a team’s performance on both ends, stripping away some of the individual variance and focusing on collective outcomes. That’s why net rating might be the most important statistic we have for team success. It answers a simple but vital question: How much better is your offense than your defense? Or, if you’re the Phoenix Suns, is it better at all?

For individual players, I prefer the classics. Effective field goal percentage. Assist-to-turnover ratio. Rebounding percentage. They’re simple, but they paint an honest picture.

Effective field goal percentage tells me how well you’re shooting, without getting bogged down in the weeds of shot creation. Are you making the most of your touches? Are you punishing defenses from two and from three?

Assist-to-turnover ratio tells me whether you’re thinking the game or just throwing the ball around like it’s a live grenade. Did you make the right read? Did you value the possession? Or did you hand the ball to the guy in the wrong jersey?

Rebounding percentage? That’s all about effort. Not just how many boards you got, but how many chances you had to get them. It’s less about volume and more about will. Are you out there hunting rebounds, or are you watching someone else do the dirty work?

Stats like these? They mean something to me. They always have.

Back when I was 13, I used to build fake basketball leagues in the early versions of Excel. This was 1996. Dial-up internet. Windows 95. I was out there entering made-up box scores, calculating made-up stats, finding fake inconsistencies in my fake data, and fixing them like a lunatic. I didn’t think of it as analytics back then. I just thought of it as fun.

We all have our quirks. We all have our rituals to kill the dog days of summer. This is mine. Maybe yours is different. But whatever it is, I hope you’ve found a way to pass the time. Because soon enough, summer will give way to fall. The air will cool, the games will count again, and we’ll all go back to arguing about midrange shots and bench rotations like it’s the most important thing in the world.

And maybe, in some weird way, it is.

The Suns offseason gamble at center has already been written off

2025-08-02T12:00:00-07:00

Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images

The Western Conference center rankings say the Suns are in trouble.

We’ve made it. August. The darkest month on the NBA calendar. Two months until preseason tips off. Three and a half months since the Suns last played a meaningful game. The basketball void has fully swallowed us. And there’s no light down here.

August sucks.

We’re tired of summer
Football is here, but doesn’t count
No holidays
No Suns basketball
School traffic is back
There’s 31 days of it
It’s phonetically the worst sounding
— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) August 2, 2025

This is the season of speculation. Of rumors spun into narratives, and narratives twisted into hope. Thought experiments, rankings, assumptions. Locally and nationally, we begin our annual ritual: judging the Suns’ offseason and guessing where it might lead.

One of the few steady signals in all this noise? The Mark Stein Substack. Every time a new post drops into my inbox, I open it like it’s a letter from the front lines. On Friday, it brought with it something worth chewing on, a repost from Diggin Basketball, penned by Iztok Franko.

The topic? Centers in the Western Conference. Ranked. Evaluated. And, of course, ripe for debate.

When you scan the landscape of centers across the Western Conference, it becomes clear: the Suns have work to do. This isn’t a new realization. We lived it last season.

From an athleticism standpoint, from rim deterrence, from defensive reliability, Phoenix had one of the weakest center rotations in the league. Add in the simmering tension between the head coach and the starting center, and it wasn’t just a mismatch of personnel. It was personal. Dysfunction at its most avoidable.

So when Iztok Franko dropped his rankings of the top centers in the West, here’s where the chips landed:

Nikola Jokic
Victor Wembanyama
Ivica Zubac
Alperen Şengün
Rudy Gobert
Domantas Sabonis
Deandre Ayton
Dereck Lively II
Isaiah Hartenstein
Walker Kessler
Naz Reid
Donovan Clingan
Daniel Gafford
Brook Lopez
Mark Williams

That’s right. Even after upgrading the center position, the Phoenix Suns are still saddled with the label: worst starting center in the Western Conference. Never mind the added depth. Never mind the upside. The acquisition of Mark Williams on draft night has been met with indifference, if not outright dismissal.

Per Franko:

Another unproven big man enigma with lingering and significant injury and mobility concerns that continue to cloud his long-term outlook. He’s an enormous talent (both literally and figuratively) and one I’d feel better about if paired with a playmaker like Dončić. That opportunity was lost when Williams failed his physical after being traded to the Lakers at the last deadline.

What’s always amused me is the narrative flip. The moment Mark Williams was shipped to the Lakers last season to pair with Luka Doncic, it was hailed as a masterstroke. Their guy. A vertical lob threat tailor-made for Luka’s drive-and-kick playground. Basketball purity.

Are the Lakers a real threat in the West after their moves at the trade deadline?@BillSimmons, @RobMahoney, and @BigWos discuss the addition of Mark Williams and how the new-look Lakers could function in the postseason. pic.twitter.com/fCRXmBmktd
— The Ringer (@ringer) February 6, 2025

But once the trade was rescinded, after the Lakers claimed Williams failed a physical, suddenly the same player was radioactive. The perception shifted overnight.

And maybe this is just the tinfoil hat talking, but I’ve always felt like something deeper was at play. The Lakers had to ship out Dalton Knecht in that deal, their rookie darling who was lighting up the scoreboard at the time. Fans weren’t exactly rioting, but the backlash was real. Trading Knecht for a rim-running big wasn’t sitting right.

So, conveniently, the trade fell apart. Mark Williams “failed” his physical. And the cloud settled in.

Lakers say the Mark Williams/Dalton Knecht trade has been rescinded.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 9, 2025

The next night, Mark went out and dropped a double-double. Looked fine to me. But perception is sticky. And ever since, that cloud has followed him.

Sidenote: if you’re looking for a fantastic deep dive into who Mark Williams is and why he might actually matter, give Ranko’s piece a read. It’s worth your time. What’s funny is this is what came out when he was supposed to be a Laker.

Scroll further down Franko’s list and you’ll find Nick Richards slotted at 27. Oso Ighodaro? He’s 30th. Former Sun (and now Jazz big man) Jusuf Nurkic didn’t even crack the top 30. As for Khaman Maluach, he’s tucked away with the rookies.

What this list ultimately serves as is a snapshot of national perception. A reminder of the wall the Suns will be pushing against next season. And honestly? I’m fine with it. There are no expectations. No pressure. The world thinks Phoenix is trotting out the 15th-worst starting center in the NBA. So be it.

I don’t think that’s necessarily true. There are real challenges ahead, sure, but not all of them are set in stone. Some of them are simply projections, lazy or otherwise. And that’s what August gives us: speculation dressed up as certainty.

These are breadcrumbs, fodder for debate until the ball tips again. Time will tell what sticks.

SBN Reacts: Khaman Maluach could be the reason the Suns passed on future flexibility

2025-08-02T05:00:00-07:00

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Most Suns fans think the team made the right move by keeping the 10th pick.

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.

While we’re deep into the offseason, reports have continued to come out about the NBA Draft and trades that were discussed. One of those reports was about the Phoenix and a deal they had a chance to make.

According to NBA Insider John Hollinger, the Suns had the opportunity to trade the 10th pick, which they used to select Duke big Khaman Maluach, and trade it to the New Orleans Pelicans for their first next year and the 23rd pick in the draft, but they declined.

New Orleans then went and traded the 23rd pick and the rights to the better of theirs or the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2026 first-rounder to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the 13th pick, where they selected Maryland big Derik Queen. Since making the trade, many have criticized New Orleans considering their projection as being one of the worst teams in the league next season. FanDuel has their win total set at 29.5, one of the lowest marks in the league.

Hollinger’s piece:

Earlier this week, we asked Suns fans if Phoenix should have made the draft-day deal with New Orleans. While most fans think the team made the right choice, it was not a universal decision.

While Maluach has great character, size, and potential, I think Phoenix should have made the deal. The Suns are not in a position of flexibility when it comes to future assets, and in a strong draft, the team still would have had a first round pick and the chance at a high pick in next year’s. With the Suns lacking little to no control for all their picks until 2032, the team is not in a position to have even a chance at a high selection any time soon.

While the team has a draft pick in next year’s draft, it will likely not be their own. What wins in the NBA is stars, and the best chance a team could have at acquiring a star is by a selection, and high selections give you the best chance at finding talent.

If Phoenix had a high pick next year, they would get the chance to select someone who could be a game changer around Devin Booker, and while it would likely take some time for anyone the team picks to develop, Maluach was considered one of the biggest projects in this draft, so his selection isn’t likely to speed up the timeline anytime soon.

Additionally, considering the potential of the pick being a high one, the Suns could have used the 2026 pick in a trade to potentially acquire someone who could significantly help them in the immediate future.

Only time will tell how the deal pans out, but what does Maluach need to show you in his first season to make you feel good about the Suns passing up the offer?

Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

Please subscribe, rate, and review.

Suns Planet Podcast: What’s next for the Phoenix Suns with Gerald Bourguet

2025-08-02T04:00:00-07:00

The Suns’ podcast with 3 guys from around the Suns Planet.

Hey there, Planeteers!

This past week on the Suns Planet Podcast, we were lucky enough to get the luxury to have Phoenix Suns reporter, Gerald Bourguet as our guest. Join us as we discuss the latest news on the Phoenix Suns by asking Gerald the tough questions of this offseason.

We hope you enjoy the latest episode. As more news comes through, we will break it down for you.

The most rewatchable Phoenix Suns games from the past 25 years

2025-08-01T11:00:00-07:00

Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images

We are lucky to be fans of the Phoenix Suns.

If you are reading this, then that means we have two things in common: we are both Phoenix Suns sickos and we are both missing Suns basketball.

And let’s be honest, last season was not “Suns Basketball,” so it has been at least a calendar year since we watched any Suns basketball that made us feel good. If you are an Arizona Sports fan in general, now that the Diamondbacks are dead in the water, we have nothing until the Cardinals start in September, before they inevitably disappoint us.

So, I decided to rewatch some of the best games Suns you can find on YouTube, and give you my elevator pitch as to why you should watch them this month.

Will I get all the rewatchable moments? No. The Suns have won 2,465 regular-season games and 160 playoff games, and different people have different connections to each season and each win. I will focus mainly on regular-season games because that’s what we sickos are craving right now, but there are some playoff games that I just had to include.

Since I was born after the year 2000, all of these games will have occurred in my lifetime. If you have one that predates 2000, post the link in the comments, and I will watch it.

With that being said, here is the list in no particular order.

Phoenix Suns vs Dallas Mavericks, March 14, 2007

The best two teams in the NBA joined up to make an instant classic where Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki dueled at the absolute peak of their powers. If not for David Stern and the Spurs, this game would have started the championship DVD for the ‘07 Suns. It is basically impossible to not love basketball after watching this game.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, Bill Walton and Mike Tirico are incredible.

Phoenix Suns vs New Jersey Nets, December 7, 2006

Quite possibly the greatest point guard battle of all time. Read a full breakdown of this game here.

Phoenix Suns vs Seattle Supersonics, December 17, 2004

The Suns and Supersonics were the two best offenses in the league, and the Suns held on to win a tight game on the road as it continued to shock the NBA world early in the season.

Phoenix Suns vs Dallas Mavericks, May 20, 2005

There are very few things in sports better than revenge. Steve Nash was dumped to the side by the Dallas Mavericks, and the very next season eliminated them from the playoffs and won the MVP. In this closeout game, Nash stuck his dagger in deep into the hearts of Mavs fans and twisted it. Watching this did make me reflect on the oddity of the Mavs not signing Steve Nash and the Suns not drafting Luka Doncic as some twisted plot to drive both fanbases near insanity.

Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Lakers, May 4, 2006

I had never watched this game all the way through until now. Backs against the wall, without the entire team, the Suns somehow pulled out a win against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Tim Thomas makes an incredible shot to keep the Suns alive, ultimately leading the Suns to come back from down 3-1 in the series. The fact that Nash was able to win this game shows just how great a player he was.

Phoenix Suns vs San Antonio Spurs, May 7, 2010

If you lived through this era of Suns basketball, you know wins against the Spurs were hard to come by and the 2010 Suns had a decade of demons to exorcise. In Game 3 the Suns were down late in the third quarter and despite being up 2-0 in the series, butts were tight. Then comes along this Slovenian Dragon named Goran Dragic, who killed the Spurs with a dazzling display of shotmaking (yet he managed to miss a pair of free throws) in the fourth quarter to put the nail in the coffin on the Spurs.

Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Clippers, August 4, 2020

The beginning of the Suns return to glory happened during this game. That Devin Booker shot kickstarted the beginning of one of the best three year runs in Phoenix Suns history. Not much else needs to be said.

Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets, March 24, 2022

The Suns were on the road, in Denver and won a grueling 140-130 contest against Nikola Jokic. It included one of Devin Booker’s best performances of his career including a stretch where he stole a rebound for a 3-point-play and picked Jokic’s pocket for a fastbreak slam on back to back plays. After this game it felt like the Suns winning the title was inevitable even though they did not.

Even though the Suns have not won a championship, watching old games with Nash, Stoudemire, Booker, CP3, etc., the ride has been worth it. Despite the poor luck and heartbreak Valley Sports fans have experienced over the decades, my takeaway after watching these games is that we are lucky to be fans of the Phoenix Suns.

Share your favorite game(s) to rewatch in the comments below.

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The Suns are giving local hoopers one chance to make the G League

2025-08-01T05:00:00-07:00

Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

Think you can play for the Suns G League team? Here’s your chance to prove it.

How are your hooping skills? Do you believe you’ve got what it takes to one day earn All-Star honors? Or maybe carve out a role as a steady rotation player? Even if your ceiling caps out at G League contributor, your window is cracked open.

For the second straight year, the Phoenix Suns’ G League affiliate, the Valley Suns, are holding local tryouts. It’s an open door for dreamers, grinders, and anyone chasing that improbable invite to preseason training camp.

calling all Valley hoopers - your rise starts here.

visit https://t.co/ZZ1SjB7wwj to register and learn more about our open tryouts.#TheRiseStartsHere pic.twitter.com/yqA8qtYoK6
— Valley Suns (@GLeagueSuns) July 31, 2025

I know the image in your head. Some are picturing Invincible, Mark Wahlberg strutting onto the field with destiny in his eyes. Me? I picture an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, complete with questionable footwork and far too much confidence.

Still, I love that the Suns do this. It’s a nod to the community. A way to bridge the gap between the team and the city that supports it. As for the odds of making the final roster? Let’s just say Vegas isn’t setting any lines.

Here’s the official press release from the Valley Suns if you’re interested:

VALLEY SUNS TO HOLD LOCAL TRYOUTS ON SEPTEMBER 13

PHOENIX – The Valley Suns today announced that the team will hold local tryouts on Saturday, September 13. The one-day tryouts will take place at Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Fitness Complex in Tempe from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

The tryouts will allow local athletes to compete for a chance to receive an invitation to the team’s preseason training camp, which will begin in October. Registration for tryouts is limited to the first 100 registrants, and will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, September 12. Pre-registration via thevalleysuns.com/tryouts is mandatory as walk-ups will not be permitted. A non-refundable $300 participation fee is required to register. Players must meet all eligibility standards as defined by the NBA and complete an NBA G League Medical Consent and Authorization, in addition to a Release & Eligibility Form.

Tryouts will take place at the Sun Devil Fitness Complex Tempe (400 E Apache Blvd, Tempe, AZ 85281). Questions can be directed to Valley Suns at tryouts@thevalleysuns.com.

If I had an extra $300 lying around, I’d head down and spend two hours taking charges. But I don’t, so I won’t.

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