The Phoenix Suns made the smart decision to bring Jordan Goodwin back this offseason, and his appearance in three of the team’s top-10 two-man net ratings highlights how important he will be this season.
Goodwin the glue who makes all around him better
Mark Bowser of Yahoo Sports examined the most successful two-man groups from 2025-26, and although Oso Ighodaro topped the list by appearing five times, Goodwin occupied the top two spots and proved he can play with and make all manner of different teammates look great in the process.
The Goodwin/Ighodaro combo led the Suns with a net rating of +7.8, which bodes well for this coming season. Ighodaro has found his groove in The Valley, and given that both players will be coming off the bench, it shows how Phoenix possesses sneaky depth and explains why they managed to win 45 games last time out.
It gets better, however, as the Goodwin/Collin Gillespie tandem sits second at +7.5.
To have a pair of guards perform so well together is a nightmare scenario for Jalen Green, and it only hammers home the point that the Suns will be a better team when they fully embrace starting an actual point guard next to Devin Booker. Until that happens, Coach Ott can still take comfort in the fact that the minutes Goodwin and Gillespie spend on the court together will have a positive impact.
Goodwin’s final appearance comes alongside Booker (+4.5). That again bodes well for the 27-year-old, as any time you can play well next to the best player on your team, it is going to lead to more run and some wins in the process. With this information, it is no surprise the Suns were so eager to bring him back this offseason.
Defensive versatility key to Goodwin’s resurgence in Phoenix
None of this would be possible if Goodwin wasn’t a guard who is capable of defending all manner of wing scorers. Although he and Jamaree Bouyea as a pairing didn’t make this list, their time on the court together was so valuable last season because of how well they covered opponents.
Every successful team needs several role players who accept they won't be featured offensively every night and will have to work harder than others to earn their time on the court.
Goodwin has always played this way, going back to his first stint in The Valley, and he will feature heavily among the top two-man groups for the Suns this coming season as well. Hard as it may be to believe, the best is yet to come from Goodwin.
Add us as a preferred source on Google