Z The sun off to a 1-2 start to the season, some members of the team are concerned about the absence of a traditional point guard in the starting lineup to help orchestrate the offense, Chris Haynes said during an appearance on NBA TV The Association (Link to video on Twitter).
“There’s growing frustration in this locker room (because) there’s not a point guard on the roster that can orchestrate this offense.” Haynes said. “They are starting Devin Booker, Jalen Greenand Dylan Brooksso you have a situation where you don’t have a real, traditional point guard who can bring everybody to him and get things going.”
Essentially, since the start of the 2025/26 season, Booker has served as the team’s point guard. He led the Suns with 6.0 assists per game last season and averaged a team-high 5.3 APG through three games this fall.
However, those increased playmaking responsibilities could affect Booker’s scoring efficiency. His 58.5% true shooting percentage last season was his lowest in four years, and he’s coming off a three-pointer against an injury-depleted Oklahoma City team on Monday (though he did score 43 against Golden State on Saturday).
Among the players in the Suns rotation, Colin Gillespie perhaps the closest thing to a traditional point guard. He ranks second on the team in assists this season (4.3 APG) behind the same in 2025/26 (4.6 APG). But Gillespie isn’t part of the team’s starting five if Booker and Green are healthy and available.
Last season, lineups featuring both Booker and Gillespie had a +7.0 net rating, while lineups that included Booker and Green also posted a solid +4.1 rating.
Haynes notes that the Suns rank in the bottom half of the NBA in assists, though their average of 25.3 per game is good for 19th, so it’s not terribly low. The club also ranks slightly higher in categories such as pass rate and pass-to-loss ratio.
According to Haynes, there’s no indication at this point that Phoenix’s front office is trying to address the issue, and he hopes the team can handle a committee approach at the point guard position despite some early season disappointments.
The lack of a point guard capable of orchestrating the offense is just one of a few potential issues affecting the Phoenix roster. There are also questions about the club’s three-point shooting (31.9% through three games) and its ability to compete on the glass with the starting center Mark Williams until 2027 while he recovers from shoulder surgery. The Suns’ 42.9% shooting percentage is the worst in the NBA this season by a wide margin.
