Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott has smashed early expectations with this team. At about the 30 percent mark of the season, the first-year honcho in Phoenix deserves his name mentioned in any Coach of the Year discussions.
He's also dealt with some serious injury problems; Jalen Green has missed most of the season, and now Devin Booker is sidelined for (hopefully) a quick stint. While the Suns' are without their superstar, the expectations are pretty much nonexistent. Because of that, this seems like a great time to give Rasheer Fleming, Khaman Maluach, Koby Brea, and Isaiah Livers some extended run. Why not throw everything at the wall and see what sticks?
Of course, I'm not suggesting that this team roll over and die because they're missing important players. But with the Timberwolves, Thunder, and Warriors looming on the schedule, the Suns already have tall hills to climb. Why not give the young Suns and two-way guys some extra run to see if anyone pops?
Suns should experiment with lineups while Devin Booker is injured
This season has been fun for plenty of reasons for the Suns; the emergence of unlikely heroes is perhaps the largest one. Dillon Brooks, of course, but also Jordan Goodwin, Collin Gillespie, and even Mark Williams.
With Booker out, this is a perfect time to find the next unsung hero. Could Khaman Maluach stake his claim as the backup center going forward? Could Koby Brea, who shot over 43% from 3-point range in college, knock down enough shots to creep into the nightly rotation? Will Nigel Hayes-Davis finally get his feet under him?
None of those are far-fetched, especially after what we've seen out of the Suns so far. Each of those guys remains mostly an unknown. Even if they struggle in extended minutes, it'll at least be known. Rasheer Fleming, last year's second-round draft pick, has started to get quick bursts of minutes every night, and while "polished" isn't the word to describe the 21 year-old, the allure is obvious.
Suns fans can't have many complaints about how Jordan Ott has handled rotations, minutes, and development among the Suns this year. With Book injured, he should lean into that experimentation even more — if, for nothing else, to simply see what this team has. Leave no stone unturned, as they say.