The wait is almost over for Phoenix Suns basketball to return to our lives, with the team taking on the Los Angeles Lakers in preseason action this coming Friday. They will meet the same opponent once more in preseason play, with a trip to Macau to play the Brooklyn Nets twice sandwiched in between these meetings.
The game against the Lakers will be the Suns' first chance to see how their three rookies do against one of the better teams in the Western Conference, and all eyes will surely be on the potential matchup between rookie center Khaman Maluach and former first overall pick by the Suns, Deandre Ayton. Throughout training camp Maluach has already impressed his teammates in one key area.
LeBron James will face a new foe in Rasheer Fleming.
The Lakers will once again be calling on LeBron James this coming season - and despite the fact he will turn 41-years-old at the end of the calendar year - he remains an important player for them. Although the Suns will be more concerned with stopping superstar Luka Doncic, they also have a new weapon in trying to slow James down in rookie Rasheer Fleming.
"For sure, for sure."
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) September 30, 2025
Rasheer Fleming on looking forward to playing against LeBron James as the Suns and Lakers meet Friday in Palm Desert in 1st preseason game.
On confidence: "The main thing for me is I know I belong here. I think the main thing for me is just proving to… https://t.co/mahyKMvqdo pic.twitter.com/4ZNPashuNt
Of the three rookies in The Valley this season, Fleming has been overlooked the most. Maluach was a lottery pick and fills a position of need for the roster at center, while Koby Brea did a credible Devin Booker impression during Summer League play. Fans are excited by the prospect that the franchise might have hit on a second round pick that can help offensively right away.
It is clear the Suns think Fleming can have the same kind of impact - and given he shares some similarities with Dunn in how they play the game - it is the right way to approach this. Giving him the chance to try and keep LeBron quiet - while Dillon Brooks surely does his best to annoy Doncic - would appear to be the perfect "welcome to the league" moment in preseason play.
Even if this doesn't go well and represents a steep learning curve, it is an experience Fleming will be able to take with him into the regular season. He's not going to be a starter and so can have a Dunn like impact on the second unit, which if he manages to pull off would be a huge boost in Phoenix and speed up their rebuild that little bit more. An exciting challenge for Fleming and for the Suns.