The Phoenix Suns traded Kevin Durant and dumped Bradley Beal to create a disastrous lineup that will crush their season. They have been pushing a defensive identity in the wake of their roster changes, but the franchise was 27th in defensive rating in 2025 and added two subpar options to play key roles next season.
The Suns will start Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Mark Williams. The final spot could change based on matchups, but Ryan Dunn started 44 times as a rookie and feels like the favorite for that gig. That group features one non-shooter and two below-average options. They have no primary creator and several defensive questions. Not exactly exciting for fans.
The Suns will be one of the worst teams in the Western Conference next season. Wasting a year of Booker’s prime is a shame, but the team’s moves to upgrade their roster only made them worse.
The Suns’ starting lineup is an absolute disaster
Green is expected to be their lead playmaker, despite never averaging more than 3.7 assists per game and being a career 42.2 percent shooter from the field. The Suns would be better off putting him in a score-first role, but they do not have the facilitator to feed him shots.
Green started every game for the Rockets last season and helped them get the number two seed in the West. Fans' excitement will quickly be extinguished when they learn the Rockets were 7.1 points per 100 possessions worse with Green on the floor last season. Their defensive rating rose to 113.4 with him, which would have dropped the top-five unit to 14th in the NBA.
The Suns' biggest upgrade was trading for Mark Williams. They desperately needed a center and sent two first-round picks out to land the 23-year-old. Phoenix’s front office is excited about his potential on both ends of the floor, but there are red flags.
Williams played a career-high 44 games last season. He has appeared in 106 games in his first three NBA campaigns, or just 43.1 percent of the possible contests. The injuries are a massive concern for the seven-footer, but it doesn’t stop there.
The Suns got him to be their rim protector and lob threat, but the Hornets were 6.6 points per 100 possessions worse defensively with Williams on the floor last season. They produced a 121.5 defensive rating, which would have been last in the league by over two points. Expecting him to suddenly anchor an elite defense seems problematic.
Brooks and Dunn are below-average shooters who will be flanking questionable playmakers. This lineup is simply not good enough.
The Suns may quickly opt for the shooting of Grayson Allen or the versatility of Royce O’Neale in their opening group. Those options have warts of their own, but may help first-year head coach Jordan Ott strike a better balance. Ultimately, the Suns have no perfect answer, which is why they will firmly be in the lottery again.
The Phoenix Suns ended the Kevin Durant era, but things are not looking brighter. There are serious questions on both ends of the floor, and zero path to fixing them. It will be a rough few years for the franchise. Hopefully, Mat Ishbia learned from his mistakes and is finally ready to help the Suns get back on track. It will be a long road, but the journey starts with one step in the right direction.