Here is that rotation and each player’s defensive rating from 2017-18.
PG – Shaquille Harrison (109 – second best on the Suns last season)
SG – Devin Booker (115 – tied for worst among regular rotational players)
SF – Josh Jackson (112 – expected to significantly improve in his second season)
PF – Trevor Ariza (107 – amazingly, the fourth best rating among starters)
C – Deandre Ayton (98.8 – per 100 possessions)
C2 – Tyson Chandler (111 – third best on the Suns last season)
*In close matchups near the ends of games Deandre Ayton is going to be on the court and not Tyson Chandler, but I did want to illustrate that since we don’t know what Ayton’s NBA Defensive Rating is going to be that showing that Tyson can still step in and play some good D a luxury that is going to be helpful for Phoenix.
Take all Defensive Ratings with a grain of salt. The lower the better, but they are generally calculated on team defense and thus the system the head coach installs. Obviously the Phoenix Suns were not a good defensive team last season so their numbers are not going to look very good.
That said, we can see with our own eyes that Shaq Harrison is a good defensive player. He gets into his opponent’s faces and can easily average about 2 steals a game if given the minutes.
Phoenix Suns
Like Ayton, Booker has to be on the court in late game defensive situations. However, he is no slouch on defense and will see improved defensive statistics and metrics with an improved system and better players around him this year. Booker is also 6’7″, so his height is always an advantage against smaller guards.
Josh Jackson didn’t step in as the lock down defender we all thought he’d be right away, and even struggled mightily at times against elite talent. But he should see much improvement this season with an offseason to focus on defense, and like Booker, a better system and better talent around him to help hide deficiencies. I don’t foresee him being lock down just yet, but I would be shocked if he isn’t able to hold his own beginning opening night.
Trevor Ariza comes to Phoenix with a solid defensive pedigree, and while he had the fourth-rated defensive rating among regular Houston starters last season, it was still a better rating than all five other players mentioned (sans Deandre Ayton who has yet to play an NBA game). Ariza will easily be able to step right in and play against the opponent’s top forward, whether small or power, and take that pressure off of Josh Jackson.
When in a pinch, Igor Kokoskov can certainly throw a proven defensive center at an opponent in Tyson Chandler, but Deandre Ayton too is nothing to worry about. He is neither a revolving door nor a brick wall, and his size and athleticism will make him difficult for opponents to deal with. I do expect Ayton to be just fine on defense, especially since Ariza should also be able to guard smaller centers that might be too much for the rookie, while Ayton bleeds out to take the stretch-fours.