You know the NBA is close to making a return when Bill Simmons does his annual over/under podcast over at The Ringer. This year, the Phoenix Suns popped up in an unexpected place. Midway through the rankings, Simmons started a tongue-in-cheek list of the top five teams most likely to start a mass brawl this coming season, with the Phoenix Suns ranking second.
Suns now known league-wide as tough out each night
The always-divisive media figure might have been trying to get a laugh from the audience and was talking about the Grizzlies' feistiness when he went off on a tangent. "Number one, Memphis. Number two, Phoenix. Dillon Brooks just by himself makes them number two." Brooks might be the ringleader in that department, and he is never going to change, as preseason play has already shown us, but this is a tough group from top to bottom who have become known for how hard they play.
The Suns haven't gotten a ton of national media attention since Kevin Durant was traded, and their 45 wins of last season is also being slept on. Yet in a league with so many storylines, Phoenix is being talked about as a group that will get into it if they need to after only one season under Head Coach Jordan Ott.
Again, Brooks gets a lot of the credit for that; his ability to anger opponents is truly a sight to behold, but it goes much deeper than that. Jordan Goodwin is the defensive secret sauce in The Valley, while Collin Gillespie has never been one to shy away from contact. Khaman Maluach is still a relative newcomer to the fold, but the prospect of mixing it up with his massive frame is not very appealing.
Even two-way guard Pat Spencer spoke ahead of the season about how the fit for him with this group looked great from the outside because his in-your-face style of play is exactly what the Suns bring every night. They may not appreciate being spoken about as the second most likely team to get into a fight, but it should be a point of pride as long as it never goes over the line.
We're looking at you again, Dillon Brooks...
Suns quietly becoming much more than hard-nosed outfit
Simmons highlighting the tough nature of this roster also hides the fact that they are a rapidly improving offensive team. Jalen Green being healthy and taking on more point guard duties helps, but it was the offseason addition of Miles Bridges that brings the Suns up another level.
He can create his own shot and score at all three levels, while Maluach's ability to make a 3-pointer at Summer League and now in preseason with a consistent jumper could be exactly what Booker needs to get over his own slump from beyond the arc. Let everybody keep sleeping on the offense they are quietly building, because it will catch opponents off guard during the season. Even if it does, the Suns won't be taking a backward step no matter the opponent, as Simmons is already well aware.
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