The Phoenix Suns edged past the Brooklyn Nets Tuesday night in an ultimately ill-tempered 106-102 win, and they did so without three of their starters.
Devin Booker, Jalen Green and Collin Gillespie all missing out as a result of various ailments that presented an opportunity for fringe guys to get some minutes.
Nigel Hayes-Davis and Rasheer Fleming get rare chance to impress
This paved the way for Hayes-Davis and Fleming to get some run on the court, and if nothing else they can say they played their part in a victory over the lowly Nets.
The pair are at contrasting stages of their careers, so it was important for them to be out there for entirely different reasons.
We've already seen a couple of flashes from rookie Fleming this season to believe he can be a part of the long-term future in Phoenix. The eight minutes he managed just above his average across 24 games this season.
Rasheer Fleming. pic.twitter.com/60ksFiJTq4
— duo lipeᶜʳᶠ (@rdarze_) January 28, 2026
He has a long frame and is not afraid to shoot the ball when it comes his way, although his 3-point shot (if he is ever going to develop a consistent one) needs a lot of work.
He also shows similarites to Ryan Dunn in that he is a rangy wing who looks like he could have a greater impact on the defensive end. We've already seen Dunn break into the rotation full-time playing the same way, and people are starting to notice.
For Hayes-Davis it is about playing as much in the league as he can, before likely heading back to Europe in the offseason. Rumors of that happening persisting as he has failed to gain the trust of head coach Jordan Ott.
But if the trio of injured players are going to miss more time than expected, Hayes-Davis is going to make it into the back end of the rotation, and from there who knows what could happen?
We know he's not part of the long-term vision in The Valley, he doesn't play at all when the roster is fully healthy and his style of play is not what coach Ott wants, but that doesn't mean he couldn't play himself into a different situation.
A trade is unlikely at the deadline, but it is in the best interest of the Suns to move off his one-year deal for tax purposes anyway. If they are going to give him away, games like the one versus the Nets at least show other organizations he deserves one final shot in the league.
Two different players who are going to get minutes for entirely different reasons, yet both stand to benefit massively if they can make the most of them.