The Phoenix Suns are trying their best to make the most of the Devin Booker and Kevin Durant era of their franchise. They have made numerous missteps since acquiring Durant in February 2023, wasting assets on poor-fitting players and then having to work back on their mistakes instead of improving the franchise.
The Suns were one of the most active teams in the trade market this season. They first acquired Nick Richards from the Charlotte Hornets before failing to land prized target Jimmy Butler. They pivoted to dumping Jusuf Nurkic to the Hornets for Cody Martin and Vasilije Micic. This was after failed Kevin Durant trade talks which might set the team up for a troublesome summer with the star if they don’t win this season.
Their desperate mid-season pivot to freshen up the roster doesn’t look half-bad in retrospect. While the failure to move Bradley Beal might affect the franchise, let’s take a look at how their roster depth is looking for a second-half Playoff push.
Depth Chart
PG: Tyus Jones, Vasilije Micic, Monte Morris
SG: Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen
SF: Ryan Dunn, Cody Martin, Damion Lee
PF: Kevin Durant, Royce O’Neale, Bol Bol
C: Nick Richards, Mason Plumlee, Oso Ighodaro
Starting Lineup
Tyus Jones, Devin Booker, Ryan Dunn, Kevin Durant, Nick Richards
The Suns will likely keep their starting lineup the same after making marginal additions in the final day before the trade deadline. This is the version of their roster that makes the most sense, as Tyus Jones has proven to be a solid on-ball creator who’s presence helps unburden Devin Booker from having to consistently create for others.
Booker does a great job as a creator, and he and Jones play interchangeable roles. When Bradley Beal is on the court, Booker embraces more on-ball responsibilities, truly making him the heartbeat of the team. His contributions are crucial, although his counting stats have started decreasing as he becomes more deferential.
Ryan Dunn is a lockdown POA defender who can cover four positions but could be interchangeable with new acquisition Martin if Dunn’s poor offense hurts the team.Â
Kevin Durant is the squad’s scoring leader, continuing to effortlessly impact the game with his wide offensive range. His numbers could spike with the new Suns roster easing his defensive responsibility in the paint, as Nick Richards has thrived since joining them. He’s averaged 8.9 points and 10.0 rebounds in 10 games with the Suns, solidifying his position as the team’s starting center.
Bench
Vasilije Micic, Monte Morris, Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen, Cody Martin, Damion Lee, Royce O’Neale, Bol Bol, Mason Plumlee, Oso Ighodaro, TyTy Washington Jr. (Two-Way), Collin Gillespie (Two-Way), Jalen Bridges (Two-Way)
The Suns have a complete roster with a wide range of options on their bench. New acquisition Mijic will likely be the team’s primary guard off the bench, averaging 7.5 points and 3.5 assists this season. Martin will be challenging Dunn as the starting small forward, averaging 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds this season.
Bradley Beal will remain the team’s solidified sixth man, averaging 16.6 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 14 games off the bench this season. There’s no reason to change that now, as it gives Beal more offensive freedom and makes him more impactful as well. Grayson Allen will be a 3-and-D option off the bench, although he’s had a rough season.
Royce O’Neale has been a reliable forward off the bench. His chemistry with Durant in particular is useful to the franchise, as he can keep him in line while being a multi-positional defender who can stretch the floor. Alongside him, the backup center duo of Mason Plumlee and Oso Ighodaro will be deployed to provide different looks. Plumlee is slow-footed but with better defensive IQ while Ighodaro is more explosive.
The other players on the roster like Morris, Bol, and Lee haven’t been useful to the franchise much. As they solidify pushing toward the Playoffs, it’s unlikely these players feature in the rotation outside injury crisis or garbage time minutes.
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