Valley of the Suns
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3 possible starting lineups for the Phoenix Suns in 2023-24

By Luke Duffy

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 20: Kevin Durant #35 and Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns in the second half of Game Three of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 20, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 20: Kevin Durant #35 and Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns in the second half of Game Three of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 20, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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SAN ANTONIO, TX – DECEMBER 26: Rudy Gay of the Utah Jazz greets Keita Bates-Diop of the San Antonio Spurs. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX – DECEMBER 26: Rudy Gay of the Utah Jazz greets Keita Bates-Diop of the San Antonio Spurs. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) /

2. Booker-Beal-Bates-Diop-Durant-Ayton

This is a lot more conventional, with Keita Bates-Diop sliding into the starting five to do everything the returning Josh Okogie can do plus more for the group. The play of Bates-Diop in the last couple of seasons has gone under the radar, because he has played for the San Antonio Spurs.

At 27-years-old, think of him as exactly what he is going to be, and just the type of glue guy this group needs. Bates-Diop is rarely going to get his number called, and is going to work himself into the ground on the defensive end. You never know, he might even knock down a shot or two as well.

Booker might have made real strides on the defensive end last season, but you can still expect Bates-Diop to try and shut down the likes of Jayson Tatum and Kyrie Irving on any given night. In 2021-22 when Bates-Diop was still with the Spurs, they had a defensive rating of 111.7.

That was around league average, as that team went 34-48. When Bates-Diop was on the court however, they had what would have been a league leading (in a tie with the Boston Celtics) rating of 106.2 on that end. That number did jump significantly to 116.6 last season, but the Spurs were tanking to try and land Victor Wembanyama, which they did.

In fact the Spurs themselves has the worst defensive rating in the entire league at 119.6, so they were still notably better when Bates-Diop was on the court. This is the group that makes the most sense on paper, with Bates-Diop taking a load off defensively for the stars, while they do their thing and pile up points.

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