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In Monday's preseason opener against the Detroit Pistons, the Phoenix Suns' rotation held few surprises, yet each unit displayed distinct strengths and weaknesses during their time on the court. Phoenix employed a 10-man rotation in the first half before sitting the starters after halftime in a 109-107 defeat.
Here's a breakdown of how each group performed and which players saw action.
First Unit
The starting five of Jalen Green, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, and Oso Ighodaro looked highly impressive, meshing well despite concerns about overlapping skill sets. Their cohesion helped Phoenix build a 68-50 halftime advantage. Each player applied defensive pressure and pushed the pace offensively to generate transition chances.
Bridges made a strong debut for the Suns, impacting the game across the board—scoring, on-ball defense, rebounding, and playmaking—finishing with eight points, five rebounds, and four assists in 14 minutes. Booker (13 points), Green (11), and Brooks (11) all had solid outings, picking their spots and scoring within the flow of the offense. Ighodaro (three points, five rebounds) started over Khaman Maluach, and his playmaking opened additional offensive opportunities. While there are still kinks to iron out, particularly the lack of playmaking from Green and Brooks, the Suns couldn't have asked for a better first game from their starters.
Second Unit
Collin Gillespie, Luke Kennard, Jordan Goodwin, Ryan Dunn, and Khaman Maluach formed the second unit. Goodwin and Maluach were the first subs off the bench, a slight surprise given Gillespie's success with the starters last season, but the decision paid off as the Suns continue to evaluate player fits. Goodwin (seven points), Gillespie (eight), and Kennard (nine) brought instant energy, with Goodwin's hustle (three offensive rebounds, three steals) sparking the group. Maluach (six points) showed promise in his bid for the starting center job but wasn't as dominant inside as he was in summer league.
The biggest surprise was Dunn getting the nod at backup power forward over Rasheer Fleming, a situation to monitor. Dunn brings more energy but had offensive struggles, finishing with two points and three turnovers in 16 minutes. Fleming, who had three points and five rebounds in 19 minutes, logged the most minutes of anyone after not playing in the first half, indicating the Suns are still evaluating their backup 4 options.
Rest of Rotation
The Suns have questions deeper in the rotation after being outscored 59-39 in the second half and committing 22 turnovers over the final two quarters. No one from this group stood out, though rookie Koa Peat had some good moments in his NBA debut, recording four points and four rebounds. Jamaree Bouyea and Haywood Highsmith, competing with Duop Reath for the final roster spot, combined for nine turnovers and struggled. Reath (two points in eight minutes) was neither impressive nor disappointing, but the Suns hope to see more to determine if he's the right fit as third-string center.
Coach Jordan Ott did not play second-year players CJ Huntley or Koby Brea at all, which was interesting given Huntley's battle for the third-string center spot and Brea's potential as a rotation player if he expands his game beyond shooting. This could signal that neither has shown enough development, but that could change as the preseason progresses.
Phoenix returns to action Wednesday night for its second preseason game against the Chicago Bulls.
Brendan Mau is a staff writer for Suns on SI. He has been a credentialed media member covering the Suns since 2023 and holds a bachelor's degree in sports journalism from Arizona State's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. Follow Brendan on X @Brendan_Mau for more news, updates, analysis and more!