Ranking the Suns’ most important rotation players

As we’ve gone through the SunsRank exercise, I think one thing has become clear. This team has depth, at least on paper. Much of that depth is rooted in young players who still have to live up to their potential. If they do, that depth becomes real. The goal is to keep developing and avoid plateauing, because if you don’t, it doesn’t take much to start slipping down the rankings.

Ryan Dunn is a perfect example. At the end of last season, after the Suns were swept out of the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the consensus between the community and the writers had Dunn ranked 10th overall in SunsRank. Now, after one summer without any real basketball being played outside of Las Vegas, he has fallen to 13th in both the community and writers rankings.

There are a multitude of reasons why this can happen. First and foremost, the Suns made changes this offseason, and some of the players they acquired are being ranked ahead of those who were already here. But when we use the subjective term “best” and ask who is actually better than Ryan Dunn on this roster, the movement starts to make a little more sense. Ahead of him are Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, and Koa Peat, all players drafted after Dunn in 2024. We’ve seen Dunn for two seasons now, and we believe we have a better idea of what his ceiling might be. So it’s on him to climb back up the rankings through performance and progression rather than plateauing like he did last season.

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Now we turn our attention to The Pillars, the reliable rotation players who will provide stability and help hold this roster together. They might not be the stars, but the Suns need them to consistently do their jobs if this team wants to reach the goals set before the season begins. Within this tier, you’ll find three players who returned to Phoenix on free agent deals that are widely viewed as below market value. You’ll find one player who arrived via trade, and another who certainly makes an impact, even if it isn’t always pretty.

Here are your SunsRank Pillars.

The Pillars

Collin Gillespie

Gillespie got paid this offseason, with the Suns re-signing him to a four-year, $48 million contract. He’s a shining example of internal development for Brian Gregory and his staff. Gillespie arrived in Phoenix on a two-way contract in July 2024, earned a full NBA deal in July 2025, and now enters the 2026–27 season making $10.7 million.

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It’s a feel-good story. And the opportunity is there for that story to continue, as Gillespie figures to be one of the primary players leading the second unit this season.

Jordan Goodwin

The feel-good stories don’t stop with Gillespie, as Jordan Goodwin is another player who worked his way into a multi-year contract. He signed a three-year, $19 million deal with the Suns this offseason, with the final year coming in at $6.8 million on a player option. He controls his destiny.

Goodwin may be listed at only 6’3″, but he plays far above that. He was second on the team in offensive rebounds per game last season and remains a tenacious defender who helps reinforce the Suns’ identity with the second unit. He has another opportunity ahead of him this season to build on what he started last year.

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Every team needs a Jordan Goodwin. The Suns have theirs, and it just so happens that his name is Jordan Goodwin.

Mark Williams

You want another player who signed a new contract with the Suns this offseason? Let me introduce you to Mark Williams, who agreed to a three-year, $38 million deal after putting together the healthiest season of his career in his first year with Phoenix. Williams played 60 games last season, 15 more than he ever appeared in during any of his three seasons with the Charlotte Hornets.

He’s one of the more interesting storylines heading into this season for a couple of reasons. First, you have Khaman Maluach waiting in the wings, which creates a delicate balance between developing the future and trying to win now. Second, Williams is likely the fifth option offensively for the Suns. So how does he balance that role while remaining effective on the defensive end?

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We saw him handle it well last season. The hope is that he can do it again.

Miles Bridges

Miles Bridges comes to Phoenix as one of the most scrutinized players on the roster, both on and off the court. The justified public scrutiny surrounding his acquisition, following his legal troubles in the past, is going to keep a spotlight on him. And given what the Suns gave up to acquire him, most notably a 2033 first-round pick, there will be plenty of scrutiny on his performance as well.

The court of public opinion can be harsh. Combine that with poor performance on the basketball court, and it becomes even harsher. Can Bridges overcome all of that and put together a productive season in Phoenix?

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Oso Ighodaro

And then there’s Oso, the analytics darling who seems to raise all ships offensively whenever he’s on the court. There’s still plenty of room for growth, especially as a rebounder, rim protector, and someone who can impact the game more consistently on the defensive end. Oh, and did I mention shooting? Yeah, that ship has probably sailed. But Oso brings enough ancillary skills to affect the game in other ways. Much like Mitchell Robinson, he doesn’t need to shoot to make an impact

And now? Time to SunsRank!