3 Keys for the Phoenix Suns managing Devin Booker being out

While the defense leading to transition buckets and easy scores – as it did against Memphis – is a key to the Suns winning games, so will players picking up the scoring slack.

It is silly to think the Suns can make up all 27 of Booker’s points. However, Phoenix needs at least two, if not three, players to step up and score more than they have consistently.

Bridges and Ayton are two obvious choices

CP3 will have his excellent shooting nights and will chip in, but the reality is the Suns need both their other big contract players to step. Deandre Ayton has a legitimate opportunity to take that next step into a 20 and 10 player, as his shot attempts and minutes are and will continue to be up. Likewise, we have already seen that Mikal Bridges is not afraid of taking more shots and trying to pick up some of the scoring slack.

However, even if Ayton adds five points a night to get to 23 per game and Bridges adds five points per night to get to 20 per game, the Suns will still need more scoring.

That said, if Ayton and Bridges can take significant steps forward in their offensive games and average 20 points or more per night when Booker is out, Phoenix should be in good shape.

Assuming players stay available – which may be a poor assumption – Phoenix has enough other talents that at least one other player should be able to score 15 per night besides Chris Paul. If Landry Shamet, Duane Washinton Jr., and Torrey Craig can each take turns getting hot, and with at least one chipping in 15 points per night, the Suns could be okay, assuming Ayton and Bridges are taking significant steps.