The Phoenix Suns made one final training camp roster addition Tuesday with the announcement that forward Phillip Wheeler will be joining the group. He is the perfect player to introduce at this point but one who is unlikely to ever actually feature in a competitive game for the franchise.
Wheeler will bring hunger of not having secure job to training camp
The 24-year-old has played only five NBA games since 2024-25, spending last season in the G League. In theory, he has as good a shot as both Duop Reath and Kennedy Chandler of making the final roster in Phoenix, either as one of their final 15-man selections or on a two-way deal. Only that is highly unlikely to happen, given that the Suns had the chance to bring him to media day and did not, while the other two camp invites beef up clear positions of need.
Reath almost has to make it given the Suns’ lack of center depth, while Chandler is a more offensive-minded guard than we have seen the organization sign in recent seasons. Wheeler’s role will be to act as a big body to test the likes of Rasheer Fleming and Koa Peat every day, but there is still hope he can turn that opportunity into something more.
A two-way deal may not be realistic, but signing him outright to their G League affiliate certainly is. The Suns have used the Valley Suns to great effect in recent seasons; it is where Collin Gillespie got his start, and 30-year-old veteran Spencer will look to replicate that path to one day make the main roster on a full-time basis. Wheeler could follow suit.
Ryan Dunn should be nervous by arrival of Wheeler
Forward Dunn is entering his third season in Phoenix and has failed to take the kind of leap as fellow 2024 draft pick Oso Ighodaro. Cutting ties with him completely still feels like a drastic move, but any time the Suns add another player who can threaten what little role he has left with the Suns is cause for concern.
Already, Fleming has a more dynamic scoring game, while the front office did not move up into the first round to take Peat to never then give him a chance to compete for minutes. The arrival of Miles Bridges and his newfound defensive mentality is terrible news for Dunn’s fading hopes of ever contributing consistently in The Valley.
If Wheeler uses this training camp role to push the starters hard every day, impress the cultural leaders such as Dillon Brooks, and look like he could provide good minutes during the regular season, it will make saying goodbye to him after camp harder.
This is just another reason for Dunn to be concerned, while for Wheeler, it's a golden opportunity to turn some preseason run into something meaningful.
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