PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns have officially hit a crossroads just 16 games into the season – although the 9-7 start to this season still feels significantly different compared to 2023-24.
That doesn’t necessarily translate to Phoenix being without questions, however – as the 9-7 start isn’t ideal even with the context of key injuries so far.
Without further ado, we will explore five questions surrounding the Suns roughly 20% into the 82-game season.
Q: What’s one reason why Suns fans shouldn’t panic?
The answer here is simple – they have time.
Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal should reap the benefit of having nearly a week of game action off. That should intrinsically benefit the supporting cast that has experienced a dip in play over the last two weeks.
For all of the benefits Tyus Jones brings to the table – and he can serve as an occasional shot creator – depending on him as a secondary bucket-getter is simply not a sustainable formula to win games. Say what you want about the Suns so far, but it feels reasonable to say that the team that started 8-1 is much more reflective of who they are compared to the one that has gone 1-6 since.
Q: What’s been working for the Suns even through this slump?
The Suns’ offense has fell cold since a start that saw them inside of the top 10 in offensive rating, but the principles in which coach Mike Budenholzer built the infrastructure around haven’t left to this point.
The Suns are still getting up an ample amount of three-point looks. They are still working tirelessly both on and off-ball to get quality looks – akin to a Gregg Popovich-coached team. The mechanics to have a special offense are still in place, they just need to get healthier and build off of as complete of a roster as they can get.
The defense will also presumably improve as the team gets healthier, and that cannot be discounted in this equation. Ryan Dunn, Royce O’Neale, and Josh Okogie are more than capable stoppers along the perimeter – all three will be put in better positions to be consistently effective once Durant returns.
Q: Where do you think Suns finish in the in-season tourney?
This is difficult to say – as the status of both Beal and Durant is unclear for next Tuesday’s bout with the Los Angeles Lakers, while the San Antonio Spurs have played phenomenal basketball over the past few games.
These pair of games would be challenging even at full strength, but it’s hard to believe they fare a chance against Anthony Davis and the Lakers with the current arrangement that we have seen.
The Suns should be able to find a way to win both games – assuming both Beal and Durant are healthy – but it could very well come down to point differential to determine whether they advance to the knockout round for a second consecutive season.
For now, it feels like they will fall short, but things can certainly change.
Q: What are some names to keep an eye on as potential trade targets for the Suns?
The prospective trade market for the Suns would presumably be focused on any potentially viable starting centers on the market – with the contract of Grayson Allen and potential draft picks being on the table.
Just a few names that could be in conversation are Mitchell Robinson, Robert Williams II, Mark Williams, and perhaps even Jakob Poeltl.
The cost of these potential targets widely vary, and the availability of them are up in the air, so any effort could ultimately be futile – but it’s ultimately worth exploring all options in the process.
Oso Ighodaro is also a wild card in the grand scheme of this – as he appears to be far more pro-ready than what was expected when he was drafted in the second round by Phoenix in June.
Q: Who will be the most important player off the bench for a late season run?
This could go to several worthy names, but I’m ultimately inclined to say Ryan Dunn.
The rookie wing has cooled off on the offensive side of the ball as of late, but remains a menace on defense. One can certainly wonder if his offensive production would take a positive jump once again that correlates with the return of Durant/Beal.
Regardless, he will likely be the most reliable POA defender that Phoenix can throw at a top opposing ball-handler of a potential playoff matchup.
Dunn’s shot is the biggest question in all of this – and if he can be an average shooter the rest of the season, it feels as if Phoenix can make the jump into true threat to win the Western Conference.
