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 — gives their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: Dillon Brooks recently said that he’s working on his passing this summer (at the request of Brian Gregory). What are your thoughts on this?
zenzino: Hallelujah!
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I’ve been pretty upfront about criticizing Brooks’ passing (or lack thereof) during game threads last season and other discussions. During the press conference, Brooks chuckled when he said that BG wanted him to work on his passing (as well as getting back to spot-up threes). He knows. That’s definitely a part of his game he needs to get better at.
On a side note (aka, ‘I told you!’), this came from Brian Gregory, not Jordan Ott (though I’m sure he agrees). During the playoffs, I maintained that JO’s decision not to play the rookies was not just a JO decision. If it was happening, that means BG and MI were on board with it, too. BG is super involved in all these aspects, and BG telling Brooks what he wants him to work on is proof of that, in my mind.
Ashton: I read this question and immediately reached for the rolling eye emoji. How was BG involved in this discussion outside of nice-to-have skills when discussing his contract extension? This is a coach’s strategy that usually involves free-flowing basketball movement. I am down with that! I like that offensive style.
But Brooks has never shown the propensity to pass the ball. His style is typically downhill, and I seriously doubt that he can improve in that area over the summer, when it was never his area to begin with. I doubt “Dillion the Villon” is going to become “Dillion the Saint” that passes the ball out to his open playmakers (Book and Green) at the expense of passing lip to the opposing defender. Nah, I will believe it when I see it, but for me, this is exactly that – lip service.
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OldAz: There was a story a couple years ago about a player, let’s call him “Schmadley Schmeal”, that was approached by the coach and asked to take a more defensive minded approach to the game as it might benefit the team. Schmadley did not like this, and things spiraled downward from there. This story is the exact opposite of that.
I love that the player is not only acknowledging the constructive feedback they received from the general manager, but acknowledging they are working on that area of their game, presumably for the betterment of the team. That being said, working on being a better passer and being willing or actually doing it during game situations are entirely different things. Hopefully, we see growth from Brooks in this area as the Suns are always better when the team on the floor plays unselfishly and passes around for the best shot.
Rod: I’m all for Brooks improving in this area and, especially, admitting that he needs to improve there. His assist numbers last season ranked him at 8th on the team per game and 14th per 36 and per 100 possessions (behind Isaiah Livers!). There were times that he needed to concentrate on scoring first, but I think it’s best for the team if that’s not his mindset and he focuses more on moving the ball around this season. For the Suns’ offense to work at its best, ball movement is a necessity, and he must be a part of that.
Q: As Khaman Maluach has proven that he can hit three-point shots at a reasonable percentage in Summer League (40% on 5 3PAs per game), should Jordan Ott experiment with him playing at PF with Williams or Ighodaro at center this year?
zenzino: Hells yeah!
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Why not? Try everything. Experiment like crazy. Be a mad scientist.
It’s a small sample size, but very encouraging. Unlike most of SL play, I don’t think 3-point shooting is as affected by the level of competition. Meaning, that’s one thing from SL that can more easily translate.
I also don’t think Man Man needs to be at the 4 to put them up. If the opposing team has a rim protector (Wemby, Holmgren) and our 7-footer starts raining 3s, he’ll have to come out and guard Man Man and open up the lane.
Even without the 3s, I’d love to see some lineups with Oso & MW and Oso & Man Man. I’m not sure MW & Man Man would be the right duo.
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Ashton: I would never say no to anyone who can shoot 40 percent of their 3-point shots against inferior defenses. Heck, try KM at SF or SG off the bench to give him some minutes. It will have opposing defenses scratching their heads.
My only concern is that I see KM as a center, and I would rather not take him out of the flow of that role. Also, keep in mind that KM shoots 25% at Duke from downtown. Yes, players can improve year over year, but he was never recognized as a three-point shooter in his early career. If Coach Ott wants to employ a two-headed monster on offense specifically designed for rebounding and paint points, then no problem pairing him as a PF with Williams or Oso. On the defensive end, more rim protection is always good, but can he switch or defend the three?
His three-point shooting percentages or attempts are probably the last thing I am concerned with.
OldAz: I absolutely think this would be a great idea, especially when paired with Oso. KM’s shooting and developing rim protection make him a great candidate to play cross-positionally, allowing Oso to facilitate on offense from the center position while not having to guard the center on defense. Well, I don’t know if it would truly work. It is an intriguing combination to play with and see how it forces the other team to match up. KMs shooting from outside certainly seems to make his overall game very complementary to what Oso can bring. If this works, it also opens up minutes for Oso that would not otherwise be available given his limited shooting ability.
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Rod: I’d love to see it tried, at least for small stretches. And Khaman’s ability to make threes isn’t really the reason why; that just gives him more credibility playing PF. The defensive end of the court is where I’d be most interested in seeing how it works. Mostly, it might just be an answer to improving the Suns’ defensive rebounding (which was a pitiful 29th last season).
As Khaman is still learning, I would be a little concerned that playing him at PF this early might be a little confusing for him at times, as he has to remember how to execute plays for two different positions rather than just one. Even a split second of indecision can make the difference between a great play and a blown possession.
Q3: The Suns’ preseason games begin on October 5, just a little over 6 weeks from now. Which players are you most interested in watching during those games?
zenzino: Six weeks?! How can the off-season seem so short and so long at the same time?
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What I really want to see this preseason is the Suns playing the ‘regular’ lineups for most of the games. Even more than last season, every game counts, and I’d like to see them hit the ground running when the season starts.
Even though the team is mostly the same, Bridges in place of Royce and GA is a huge difference in the style of play. There are definitely things that will need to be worked out and adjustments made.
But alas, preseason is usually a step up from Summer League, with starters getting a few reps but mostly kept in reserve. However, full NBA at 50% is definitely a step up from SL, so getting the young guys out there to see what they can do against other veteran role players will be interesting.
We know what most of these guys can do. I guess I’m most interested in seeing how the starters can gel and whether Man Man, Sheer, and Koa can continue what they started in SL.
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Ashton: Um…all of them? I am really more of a scheme guy and want to see what Ott cooks up. How do the starters mesh with Miles Bridges would be at the top of my list. Which players are first off the bench? Which players show the most understanding in a defensive line-up? And this whole line-up depth thing I keep reading about? Seems to me a lot of players will be getting some run. But Rod is usually oddly specific about these questions, and I will have to list some players. Let’s give it to the new guys, recent transactions, two-ways, and rookies.
Miles Bridges
Luke Kennard
Pat Spencer
Koa Peat
I guess Haywood Highsmith fits in this category
I think this question will receive many different answers, but I am always looking for the next diamond in the rough.
OldAz: I am still most interested in watching Fleming and KM. The second-year players appear ready to make a jump and contribute significantly, and bring the length and athleticism I have been looking for for many years as a Suns fan. Beyond that, it’s just preseason, so it will be good to see basketball again, but it will quickly fade into impatience, waiting for the real season to start.
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Rod: The number one thing for me is seeing how well Miles Bridges fits into the starting lineup. Secondary to that is seeing how well Luke Kennard fits into things. I think he’s a great addition to the team, but I’m curious to see just how Ott will fit him into the Suns’ rotation. And Ott’s player rotation is what I’m actually more interested in seeing than individual players. This team is deep enough that a 12-man rotation wouldn’t be out of the question, although coaches generally stick to 9/10 man rotations while the game is still in question.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Suns Trivia/History
On August 25, 1976, the Suns acquired Tom Van Arsdale, the twin brother of “The Original Sun” Dick Van Arsdale, from the Buffalo Braves for a 1977 second-round pick and cash. It was the first time an NBA team had a set of twins on the same roster.
On August 25, 2005, on the same day the Suns extended head coach Mike D’Antoni through 2009 following a trip to the Western Conference Finals, they acquired small forward (and future Suns GM) James Jones in a sign-and-trade with the Indiana Pacers. Jones signed a four-year, $11.1 million deal, with the fourth year a player option.
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On August 26, 1976, after playing only 39 minutes in 1975-76, 31-year-old guard John Wetzel retired from the NBA and returned to school at Virginia Tech. He was the first player in franchise history to retire as a member of the Suns. Wetzel would eventually return to Phoenix as an assistant coach in 1979 and become the team’s 7th head coach in 1987. His time as HC with the Suns would be limited to just one season as the team went 28-54 under him and missed the playoffs for the 3rd consecutive year. At the time, the team’s 28-54 (.341) record was the second-worst in team history and would retain that dubious distinction until the 2012-13 season, when the Suns went 25-57 (.305).
On August 27, 1968, in the franchise’s first-ever trade, the Suns acquired a 1969 2nd-round draft pick from the Boston Celtics for expansion-draft pick Emmette Bryant. “Em” had previously been with the Knicks, desired to stay in the East and refused to play for the expansion Suns.
On August 28, 1984, the Suns played their first-ever overseas exhibition game (part of a tournament that included Maccabi Tel Aviv and the New Jersey Nets) and defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv 111-91 in game one at Yad Eliyahu Arena in Tel Aviv, Israel. The following day, they would lose to Macabi Tel Aviv 113-98. The Suns would also later play in a tournament in Italy (in early September) and wind up playing a total of 5 overseas exhibition games in 1984, going 4-1 overall.
Important Future Dates
Sept. 28 – Media Day
Sept. 29 – Training Camp opens
Oct. 5 – Suns @ Pistons (preseason) 4:00 PM
Oct. 7 – Suns @ Bulls (preseason) 5:00 PM
Oct. 10 – Suns vs. Spurs (preseason) 7:00 PM
Oct. 14 – Suns @ Spurs (preseason) 5:00 PM
Oct. 16 – Suns vs. Jazz (preseason) 7:00 PM
Oct. 20 – 2026-27 NBA Season Begins
Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded
Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed
Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season
Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded
Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline
Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027
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