Suns mess up as former player thriving in massive role elsewhere

The Phoenix Suns have started the season 4-1, and look like one of the best teams in the Western Conference in the early goings of the campaign. Their 21 point comeback victory over the L.A. Clippers - the second game in a row they've fought back from a double-digit deficit - proof that this year's team is better than last season's.

The Suns' depth has been an integral part of their victories early on, with rookie Ryan Dunn have a dream like start to life in the league. Even with Bradley Beal having missed a couple of games through injury already, the emergence of Dunn plus summer additions Tyus Jones and Mason Plumlee have created real quality behind Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.

But could it have been even better for the organization?

If you go back to the trade deadline last season, the Suns added two players. The first was Royce O'Neale, who has already proven to be an excellent get. He slotted in well right away last time out, but this season has already managed to wrestle the sixth man role from Grayson Allen, who himself had a career year in 2023-24.

The second was a player who is already no longer on the roster in David Roddy, who managed only 17 regular season games in The Valley and who rather infamously was touted as being a possible point guard under previous head coach Frank Vogel.

In hindsight that was more a shot at the front office by coach Vogel over being left to navigate a long season without an established floor general, because Roddy was never used in this way. He departed the team to zero fanfare, despite the fact he's still only 23-years-old. He landed with the Atlanta Hawks, and has quickly been given the green light there and had some flashes.

So far he's featured in three of the Hawks' four games they've played - and although they lost a pair of contests to the Washington Wizards - Roddy featured heavily in the second meeting. Not only did he start the game, but he played 32 minutes - a whopping number relative to the 3.7 was saw him post in Phoenix last season - as he finished with 17 points.

Could the Suns have used this version of Roddy? Sure, although it is still hard to say at this stage if you can play him big minutes when you're trying to win games. The Hawks certainly aren't tanking - and Trae Young continues to be a star - but they're clearly a level below even the Suns' team of last year.

Then again - with Roddy shooting over 42 percent from deep and managing 12 points per night - both career highs by some distance, the idea of him shoring up the back of their rotation sounds quite appealing. He'd provide cover across the front line, with this level of offensive output better than the likes of Josh Okogie or Bol Bol.

Really though the Suns can at least comfort themselves with the fact that Roddy is not in the way of Dunn continuing his rapid ascension. Fellow rookie Oso Ighodaro - although a center - would also have seen what minutes he has gotten so far this season eaten into some by Roddy as well.

It's too early to say that the Suns slipped up by letting Roddy go and that he will come back to haunt them, but he is a player to keep an eye on as this season develops. It could be that on his third team and in his third season, Roddy has finally started to figure out his place in the league.