With the returns of Brooks and Williams, Suns fans have finally gotten a glimpse of what the team can look like at full strength... and the results have been discouraging. The Suns were struggling without them, going just 9-10 over the span of Dillon Brooks' absence, and now, the struggles continue as they look to build chemistry and figure out what works with just a couple of weeks left in the season.
There's plenty of blame to go around, but most noticeably, Suns rookie Head Coach Jordan Ott has made some questionable (although unsurprising) rotational decisions with the return of key rotational players.
These lineups are just not working
With Brooks' return (and even in his absence), Jordan Ott has opted for small-ball. The starting lineup has featured 3 guards, Booker, Gillespie, and Green, next to Brooks (previously O'Neale) and Ighodaro, which has boasted an underwhelming 3.3 NETRTG in 19 minutes as the Suns have gone 0-2. Notably, Jordan Ott has seemingly decided to go away from the lineup of Booker-Gillespie-Brooks-O'Neale-Williams, which is both the team's most experienced lineup with 266 minutes played together and the team's best (min. 85 MIN) with a 9.9 NETRTG.
The Suns are a small team. That's been a key part of their identity this season, and they have catered their style of play to this fact. Outside of their three centers, the Suns have three players taller than 6-6, Rasheer Fleming, Ryan Dunn, and Amir Coffey, all of whom have been essentially excluded from the Suns' rotation (as of their recent game against Charlotte).
Yet, at this point, they don't have to play small. Some of the lone bright spots amidst their recent struggles have been the rising young talent of Ryan Dunn, Khaman Maluach, and (especially) Rasheer Fleming, all 6-8 or taller players. These three players have all risen to the challenge with all the injuries the Suns have faced, and their reward: garbage-time minutes.
Ryan Dunn and Rasheer Fleming: an impactful pairing
The most criminal of these offenses by Jordan Ott is not giving playing time to Ryan Dunn and Rasheer Fleming. Not only do Dunn and Fleming provide much-needed size on the wing, but they've simply been playing well.
Over his last six games (excluding the three garbage-time minutes against Charlotte), Ryan Dunn has played arguably the best basketball of his career, averaging 8.5 PTS on .595 FG% (.412 3P% on 2.8 3PA) with 6.5 REB, 1.8 AST (to 0.8 TOV), and 2.0 STL+BLK in 21.5 MPG. It's been exactly what's been needed of him: mistake-free basketball, efficient shooting, relentless hustle, and still an impactful defensive playmaker.
The other omission, Rasheer Fleming, is having a breakout rookie year and has been possibly the best story of the Suns' season. On the season, he's been the Suns' most impactful role player, leading the team in NETRTG at 5.8 (min. 15 GP). Excluding low-leverage possessions, the Suns have a 12.5 NETRTG with him on the floor, and a 1.6 NETRTG with him off (via databllr). As a 21-year-old 6-9 wing with freakish length and athleticism and a smooth jumper, he's a highly coveted talent in today's NBA.
What's even better about them: the two of them together. The pairing has a NETRTG of 12.3, the best rating of any Suns pairing this season (min. 31 GP). At 6-8 (Dunn) and 6-9 (Fleming), the two of them bring unparalled size on the wing to Suns lineups, which has clearly been of value.
The Silver lining: the future
It can be hard to find the good in these recent losses, but there have been some encouraging signs shown from the duo of 23-year-old Jalen Green, who is finally finding some consistency, and Devin Booker. Since the start of March, the duo has averaged a combined 50.3 PTS on 57.6 TS% with 9.1 AST. On the season, the pairing has a NETRTG of 6.6 (excluding low-leverage).
As frustrating as it can be to watch Suns games right now, it's important to keep in mind the successes of this season. As a largely new group of players (with a rookie head coach) that has battled persistent injuries and has had little opportunity to build chemistry, they've already far surpassed the low expectations that were set for them. With a solid foundation of young and veteran talent surrounding a franchise superstar, there's finally a hopeful future to look forward to in Phoenix.