4 difficult questions coach Budenholzer has to solve before next season
By Luke Duffy
3. The Grayson Allen/Royce O'Neale decision
Last season Grayson Allen was a revelation for the Suns, leading the entire league in 3-point shooting during the regular season (46.1 percent), all while starting 74 games for the team. Right now the starting five for the Suns is surely Booker, Bradley Beal, Allen, Kevin Durant and Nurkic, but O'Neale is going to try and pry that position away from Allen. He has a solid case too.
O'Neale was a big help when he came over from the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline - and whereas Allen's 3-point shooting fell to a dreadful 20 percent in the playoffs - O'Neale was one of the few role players who stood up and fought during that postseason sweep.
Both players have been brought back on new deals, and it is O'Neale who may feel he is in the ascendency here. He fits well next to the trio of stars - and although both players are underrated defensively - what may swing this difficult question in the mind of coach Budenholzer is the fact Allen could work well of the bench too.
Allen and Budenholzer worked together with the Milwaukee Bucks - and although he started all bar seven regular season games while there - he is also a known commodity to the new head coach. Will he stick with a guy he has trusted before, or lean into O'Neale's strong start in The Valley? There can only be room for one to start, and it will be fascinating to see which way the coaching staff leans.