The The sun were able to fill their hole at power forward trade for Miles Bridges earlier this summer. That begs the question of how the 6-foot-7 athlete will fit into Phoenix’s hard-nosed identity from last season, Dwayne Rankin writes in a five-question preview for the Arizona Republic.
Bridges’ primary value offensively has always been as a finisher rather than a playmaker, as he averaged 2.8 assists over his seven-year career. However, between Jalen Green, Dylan Brooksand center rotation, the Suns’ starting lineup is limited in terms of players who can make life easier for their teammates. Bridges’ ability to provide some third-down role in the game could bring unpredictability to the team’s offense, which will be key for the team given the loss of two of their best 3-point shooters in Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neill.
Bridges is also in the final year of a three-year deal, meaning he has to prove himself worthy of an extension with the team that replaced him. Showing himself to be more than just a frontcourt threat would likely go a long way in proving why the team should keep him long-term.
We have more news and notes from Phoenix:
- Mark Williams is set to skip the evaluation five months next season for the Suns after surgery on a torn labrum. This opens up a great opportunity for the second year of study at the center Haman Maluachwho rarely played last season but had a very impressive showing in the 2026 Summer League, Rankin writes. In Las Vegas, Maluach averaged 19.5 points on 40.0% shooting from three, and perhaps most importantly, he grabbed 12.8 rebounds. The latter stat will be critical to his ability to hold down a center spot in the starting lineup as the team projects to be one of the weakest rebounding teams in the league.
- Very Igadara there are also strong arguments for a starting spot, Gerald Burge writes for Sports 360 AZ. For a team with the aforementioned limitations in the game, Igadaro’s ability to read the floor could be very valuable as he has developed a knack for passing and corner kicks. The 24-year-old from Marquette has also become a very effective screener in pick-and-roll situations and would allow the team to use a more shifty defensive scheme. However, he has less size and rim protection than Maluach, while also having less offensive upside given his limitations as a scorer.
- Devin Booker remains one of the best defenders in the league, but he’s coming off a tough four-game stretch against the Thunder in which he averaged 21.3 points and 16 turnovers on 19 assists. He is under contract until 2029/30, but with the Suns constantly changing their identity around him, it is fair to wonder if his window to challenge for the title has closed, writes Rankin. He turns 30 on October 30, and the lineup appears to be far from contention, despite a better-than-expected performance last year. Rankin wonders if Booker will have to look elsewhere if he wants to return to the NBA Finals again.
