The Phoenix Suns are winning again, just not in the way anyone expected a year ago. At 25–17, seventh in the West and second in the Pacific, Phoenix has survived a seismic offseason, injuries, and an identity shift that traded superstardom for sustainability. The Kevin Durant era is officially over. What followed was not a rebuild, but a recalibration.
The Phoenix Suns 2026 Breakdown:
The seven-team deal that sent Durant to Houston brought in Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams, Nick Richards, and future assets. It stripped Phoenix of its aging safety net and replaced it with speed, youth, and defensive edge. Under first-year head coach Jordan Ott, the Suns now play faster, gamble more, and rely on depth rather than one overwhelming star.
That transition was rocky early. Phoenix opened 10–10 through 20 games, stalled by injuries and Jalen Green’s right hamstring strain that sidelined him after just two appearances. Since then, the Suns have flipped the season. They’ve gone 15–7 over their last 22 games, including a gritty 106–99 win over the Knicks, and now look firmly like a playoff team.
Statistically, this team is fascinating. Phoenix ranks first in the NBA in steals at 10.4 per game, top-10 in forced turnovers (16.4), and shoots a solid 36.1% from three. Their defence thrives on disruption rather than size. The downside is obvious: 24th in rebounding at 42.5 per game, bottom-10 in blocks, and vulnerable against elite interior teams like Denver and the Lakers.
Devin Booker remains the constant. At 25.3 points and 6.5 assists per game, he has carried the offense while shifting between scoring guard and primary playmaker. His efficiency has dipped, 30.2% from three, but his usage and responsibility have climbed. Dillon Brooks has been the unexpected offensive complement, averaging just over 21 points while providing physical perimeter defence, even if fouls and shot selection remain concerns.
Royce O’Neale has quietly been one of the Suns most valuable pieces, hitting over 41% from three and guarding multiple positions. Mark Williams has stabilized the paint, leading the team in rebounds at 8.3 per game and giving Phoenix a legitimate rim presence they lacked last season. The bench, led by Collin Gillespie (13.2 PPG, 41.4% from three), has been functional, disciplined, and surprisingly impactful.
Everything now hinges on Jalen Green. In his two Suns appearances, he averaged 15.5 points and shot 42.9% from three, including a 29-point explosion in his debut. At 23, Green brings downhill speed Phoenix doesn’t otherwise possess. His return projects Booker back toward a hybrid point role, raises Phoenix’s offensive ceiling, and could push their middling offense (18th in offensive rating) closer to the league’s top tier.
The upside is real. Green reduces Booker’s burden, boosts transition scoring, and adds a second creator capable of breaking defenses. A Booker–Green–Brooks trio could approach 65 points per night, while Phoenix’s net rating (+3.6) suggests room for growth if the offense improves.
But the risks are equally real. Green’s career efficiency has been inconsistent, his hamstring has already cost him 32 games, and his defense does nothing to solve Phoenix’s size problems. Integrating a high-usage guard midseason also threatens chemistry during the team’s best stretch of the year.
Phoenix’s reality lives in the middle. This is a dangerous, opportunistic playoff team, not a title favourite, but no longer fragile. If Green hits, the Suns could climb into the top four. If not, they remain competitive, flawed, and searching for their final form.
