There was plenty of excitement around the many new faces on the Phoenix Suns' roster at their media day recently - with no fewer than 11 new recruits through the door - which meant that Grayson Allen was overshadowed. The 29-year-old entering his third season in The Valley to little fanfare, although incredibly he is now the longest-tenured Sun after Devin Booker.
Last season was not a good one for the elite 3-point shooter, although how much blame you can place on him for that is hard to gauge. He willingly gave up his starting spot to point guard Tyus Jones, then struggled to get into a rhythm off the bench with injuries not helpin his battle for consistency.
General Manager Brian Gregory sees breakout season for Allen.
But Allen still clearly has one believer in his skills in Phoenix, with General Manager Brian Gregory singling him out for praise when speaking with the media at the open day. In the words of Gregory, "Grayson Allen, he's going to have a breakout year because he's had as good as summer as anybody. I feel real confident about that."
Brian Gregory says he thinks Grayson Allen is primed for a "breakout year" because of how much he's done over the summer in the conditioning department.
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) September 24, 2025
Gregory tells me there was a conversation between him and Allen, where Allen vowed to get into Devin Booker's level of shape
Gregory would also go on to reveal that Allen wanted to get into what he described as "the condition that Devin Booker was in", which is a great sign of the mentality of Allen. Booker has one of the best motors in the league, and trying to reach that level could even end in Allen getting his starting spot back if things go his way.
The Suns simply don't have as consistent a 3-point threat on their roster - although Royce O'Neale comes close when hot - and that is an area the team has actually been pretty good the last few years. Allen himself led the entire league from deep at 46.1 percent in his maiden campain in The Valley, although it is fair to point out that Kevin Durant is no longer around to create additional space.
But this is still the guy who was the Suns' third best player in Bradley Beal's first season with the franchise, stepping in when his more illustrious new teammate went down with all manner of injuries. If he's up for improving his conditioning and fighting for his spot in Phoenix - while impressing the General Manager in the process - then don't be surprised if Allen hits the ground running.
The word breakout is usually reserved for a younger guy - such as Ryan Dunn or Oso Ighodaro - to take on more responsibility in the rotation. But if a 29-year-old can do just that, it is a win-win for the Suns. They'll be better than expected in the short term, and it will improve Allen's trade value down the road. Here's hoping Gregory is right on this one.