We may have only seen the Phoenix Suns play eight games so far this season - and go a franchise-tying 7-1 in the process - but already it feels like their 10 man rotation is set. Not only that, but it is one of the deeper rosters you are going to find in the league.
Behind their three stars, point guard Tyus Jones and center Jusuf Nurkic - who keeps doing just enough to get by - the team has a backup floor general in Monte Morris, backup big in Mason Plumlee, and a pair of ideal sixth men in Royce O'Neale and Grayson Allen. Then there is rookie Ryan Dunn, who has been brilliant in the early goings of this campaign.
Now injury may just have opened the door for Josh Okogie.
Unfortunately for the organization, Dunn is likely to miss the Suns' next game - another meeting with a Dallas Mavericks group they've already beaten - as a result of an ankle sprain. It is not clear at this point how severe the sprain is, but the smart thing to do is to let it heal properly, and not risk rushing Dunn back so soon into the season.
Okogie is yet to play this season as a result of a hamstring strain, but he has been cleared to play for about a week now. Okogie will face some competition from Oso Ighodaro, Damion Lee and even Bol Bol for these 16 or so minutes that Dunn will be leaving behind for the duration of his time on the treatment table. Remember though, he is still the guy who is capable of doing this defensively.
T'Wolves rookie Josh Okogie absolutely smothered James Harden ... 😳 pic.twitter.com/fpsznUPK2v
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 14, 2019
So it is in the best interests of everybody if Okogie is given this chance, and if he excels then it will create a nice problem for the Suns to have. Despite being viewed as an important two-way player last season, the reality is that this rotation has now upgraded beyond Okogie. Both Allen and O'Neale better 3-point shooters who on any given night can defend at a similar level to Okogie as well.
Should he show something off the bench while Dunn is out of the lineup, it could increase his trade value some ahead of restrictions lifting next month and the Suns being able to deal Okogie if they want to. He signed a two-year, $16 million deal in the offseason which raised some eyebrows, but appeared to be more about dealing him down the road than anything else.
Okogie certainly has some value around the league - and with the Suns not able to take any more money back than they send out in a deal currently - the $8 million per season Okogie makes gives them access to a different tier of player. It would be great if he could have his best stint with the organization now, so that he could get the Suns something real in return.
If that appears a negative outlook on Okogie, it is just the reality of the situation. He appears a popular teammate and the fans like him too - but if you want to win a championship - you can't make decisions with your heart only. He can certainly do a job as the 12th man in Phoenix, but this opportunity with Dunn out could see the Suns profit and Okogie find a bigger role elsewhere.