The Phoenix Suns have not started the new NBA season the way fans would have liked as they've gone 1-4, but this was always to be expected. The roster doesn't have the depth to compete every night, and that was before Dillon Brooks missed a couple of games and with Jalen Green yet to make his debut.
It hasn't been all bad however, as center Mark Williams has remained healthy while Devin Booker is still a joy to watch most nights. Both Grayson Allen and Collin Gillespie have also started the campaign exceeding expectations that fans in The Valley would have had for them, but that doesn't mean every player is in the same boat.
Nigel Hayes-Davis has been a massive disappointment.
Although the sample size has been small, so far it has just not happened for forward Nigel Hayes-Davis. Despite head coach Jordan Ott favoring veterans in the early goings to try and find some wins - he really does not think the rookies are ready - he has only used Hayes-Davis a little over 12 minutes each night.
we’re gonna look back at these games and see Isaiah Livers and Nigel Hayes Davis getting minutes in the same light as 2023 with Yuta and KBD thinking how did those guys get minutes for half the season
— Jordan Go-Kart⚜️ (@J_Kartch) October 30, 2025
He has appeared in every game, but that's about as good as it gets as he's been a non-factor for the most part on both ends of the court. Which is a shame, given this roster is set up perfectly for a skilled offensive big to do some of the things that Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn cannot given all he achieved in Europe prior to coming back to the NBA.
Taking 2.8 shots each night, making only half of them and being no threat from beyond the arc is a disastrous combination, while defensively it has somehow been even worse. The Suns rank 28th in points allowed each night right now (120.5), yet when Hayes-Davis is out there it somehow slips even further into the depths of despair (121.2).
Put that together with the lack of offensive impact, and right now he's posting a net rating of minus 19.7. This does come from a small sample size, but it felt like this was a situation set up for Hayes-Davis to quietly thrive. Giving the team something like eight points and three boards while not being a massive negative defensively would have been viewed as a success.
It is also possible that in the locker-room he has been great for the youngsters, which in itself is valuable. But for a player who was heralded as a steal by the organization in the offseason, the 30-year-old has failed to convince coach Ott he should have a bigger role because he's not done anything with the opportunities he has been given.