CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Devin Booker #15 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball against the Chicago Bulls during the preseason game at the United Center on October 07, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Getty Images) | Getty Images John Voita Sun, October 18, 2026 at 7:00 PM UTC · 8 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The season begins for the Phoenix Suns this upcoming Wednesday as they make the trip to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Portland Trail Blazers. It's a season that carries plenty of promise and uncertainty as the team looks to build upon the foundation established last year, when it won 45 games and shattered its preseason over/under of 30.5 wins.
But that team ultimately finished as the eighth seed, lost its inaugural Play-In game, and was eventually swept out of the playoffs. So what does this season have in store?
Over the next four days, the Bright Side of the Sun writing staff will share our thoughts on this team as we work toward making our final predictions for the upcoming season. And the first question on the board is a relatively straightforward one.
There's plenty to be optimistic about when you look at this version of the Phoenix Suns. They've firmly established an identity and possess continuity, two things that teams around the league are constantly trying to identify and develop. That alone puts Phoenix in a position to be competitive and potentially become a difficult opponent early in the season.
But my biggest reason for optimism is the intriguing balance this roster possesses between young players who will have an opportunity to develop before our very eyes and veterans who can keep the team competitive night in and night out. I'm optimistic that this blend will provide quality basketball that's enjoyable to watch and translate into wins.
As for my biggest concern, I ultimately land on the three-point shooting conundrum. This is a team that attempted the fifth most three-pointers in the NBA last season while finishing 12th in three-point shooting percentage. If that volume remains relatively consistent while the percentage declines, which I believe is a legitimate possibility given the roster construction, it's going to create some significant challenges offensively.
The Suns might find themselves needing to win more games on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive side simply because consistent perimeter shooting could be difficult to come by. Sure, there are players coming off the bench who can knock down shots from deep, but how much volume are they realistically going to receive?
If the defense isn't consistently holding opposing teams to manageable point totals, how difficult is it going to be for Phoenix to overcome deficits when the shots aren't falling? Without reliable three-point shooting, the margin for error becomes increasingly narrow, especially when you're trying to work your way back into games. And that concerns me.
So what does the rest of the Bright Side writing staff have to say? Here are their biggest reasons for optimism and concern heading into the 2026–27 Phoenix Suns season.
Brandon Duenas: The bench is the popular answer for optimism, and it's the correct answer. We're talking about how deep this team is despite losing its starting center until at least February. Just let that sink in. The trio of Gillespie, Kennard, and Goodwin off the bench is such a luxury.
The biggest concern has to be the health issues, which contradict our strength, but also make a case for it (depth) being so necessary at the same time. Injuries happen. They'll be better prepared for them this season. We're just hoping they don't snowball like they did last season.
Holden Sherman: For the first time since maybe the 2021-22 season, not only do the Suns appear to have continuity and good vibes around them, but also empirical evidence that they should feel optimistic. The team shocked many last year and has reason to believe they can build on last season by keeping the roster mostly the same and upgrading at starting power forward with Miles Bridges.
Bruce Veliz: The biggest reason for optimism for me is that this bench unit looks deep and can work well together. We already saw last year that Collin Gillespie can lead the unit, and players like Jordan Goodwin and Oso Ighodaro can work well off him. Not to mention the youth with Ryan Dunn, Rasheer Fleming, and Koa Peat at the forward position, it has the potential to be one of the league's best.
My biggest concern for this team is that there is still no true point guard next to Booker to help alleviate the playmaking duties. With Jalen Green working with Steve Nash this offseason, there is some light at the end of that tunnel. It's just all about waiting to see it work in real time.
Tom Mildenberger: The biggest reason for optimism is the bench. They are going to push our regular-season win total, and the Suns are going to need them to if they want to stay out of the Play-In tournament. The starting lineup is going to have games where they hit threes, and we're all going to think, "Wow, we are really good." But they'll have just as many games where they don't. You can also pencil in some inconsistency, especially early in the season, from the second-timeline guys who are going to be counted on this season, mainly Khaman, Dunn, and Rasheer. Gillespie, Kennard, Goodwin, and Oso aren't just going to have to be good; they'll need to be consistently good. I think they will meet that challenge in the regular season.
My biggest concern will continue to be injuries. We're already down our starting center, and Miles Bridges has already limped off the court. While he'll be available when the games count, his preseason reps have been limited. Obviously, losing Devin Booker for an extended period would have us hitting the under, but I'm also concerned about nagging injuries. The core four need to gel. What they're lacking in star power, they'll need to make up for in chemistry. The bench can lift them up through the regular season, but that doesn't carry over to the playoffs, where it's best-on-best. If guys are in and out of the lineup with soft tissue issues all season, they'll never develop the chemistry they need.
Kevin Humphreys: My biggest reason for optimism heading into the season is how deep this team is. I understand the shooting limitations that this roster has on paper, but I expect Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to both take jumps in three-point shooting efficiency this season because they will be taking 'better' shots, plus Gillespie and Kennard are snipers. I trust Devin Booker as the Suns' main playmaker and scorer to win games, and I trust Jordan Ott to configure the rotations to give Booker, Green, and Brooks opportunities to get up shots.
Defensively, this team should be one of the best five defenses in the NBA and have the depth to give opposing teams 48 minutes of hellish defense for 82 games. They will force a ton of turnovers, run off misses or makes, and be one of the most fun teams to watch in the NBA this season.
CJ Savage: Optimistic about: Has to be seeing what Man Man Maluach can do as a starting (hopefully) center. Close second would be the promise, as yet largely unfulfilled, of Jalen Green.
Concerned about the physical and mental decline of Devin Armani Booker. I know he's said he's 'in love' with basketball again, but what caused him to drop out to begin with? When you are dating the Kardashians and jet-setting, you no longer, IMHO, have basketball/winning a championship/HOF as your primary concern. I think the trajectory now, unless things change for him this season, is that of a former teammate of his, Chris Paul: great player, not quite enough to get a team to the promised land.
Mark Bowser: Optimistic about: I do think we'll see Jordan Ott take a year 2 jump in the head coach role. I often lean on analytics and look at former video coordinators who became head coaches, and at their progression from year 1 to year 2. It's honestly a mixed bag. But I believe he has the work ethic and intensity to be closer to an Eric Spoelstra (+4 wins) than a James Borrego (-16). I expect better rotations and more emotion at the right moments. Concerned: Inability to sustain injuries or foul problems at the 5 position. I thought this was a strength pre-Mark Williams' injury. Maluach and Ighodaro are a respectable and complementary pair. If either is unavailable, all the options behind them are marked with question marks. I do not think Huntley or Reath provide enough meaningful rotation minutes, and the small-ball options each have limitations.
Where do you land? What are you optimistic about? What concerns you?
Source: Sports
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