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<\/a><\/p>\nNow we descend into the basement, where the storylines are quieter, but no less essential. Because even in the shadows of a roster, the margins matter.<\/p>\n
And now, onto and into Tier 4. Alphabetically, of course.<\/p>\n
CJ Huntley arrives as a rookie two-way player out of Appalachian State, a developmental swing who effectively steps into the spot Jalen Bridges occupied a season ago.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s an upside play, likely bound for extended stretches in the G League, but armed with the kind of physical tools that can translate when opportunity calls. Big men are rarely ready-made; at 6\u201911\u201d, Huntley will need time, touch, and repetition to grow into his frame and refine his game. The Suns have the structure to nurture that growth. The question is whether they have the patience. Last year, they didn\u2019t with Bridges.<\/p>\n
Isaiah Livers lands in The Depth Pieces tier. He\u2019s a talented yet unproven wing entering his fourth NBA season.<\/p>\n
Across three years in Detroit, he logged 94 games with 33 starts, numbers that hint at trust but never permanence. His averages \u2014 6.2 points in 21.8 minutes on 35.8% shooting from deep \u2014 won\u2019t command headlines, yet they sketch the outline of a player who can stretch the floor and toggle between small forward and power forward.<\/p>\n
The question is less about skill and more about circumstance. Does Livers need a larger role to unlock his ceiling, or has opportunity already told us who he is?<\/p>\n
Butler joins the Phoenix Suns fresh off an impressive 28-game stretch with the Philadelphia 76ers, a run born out of necessity when injuries gutted their rotation. Thrust into extended minutes, he responded with 11.5 points and 4.9 assists in 24.4 minutes per game after arriving from Washington.<\/p>\n
Now, he enters Phoenix as part of The Depth Pieces, carrying experience and a non-guaranteed contract, set to battle Jordan Goodwin for the third-string point guard spot. Depth or difference-maker\u2026the coming weeks will decide.<\/p>\n
Speaking of Jordan Goodwin, here he is. A familiar face who logged 40 games with the Suns during the 2023-24 season before James Jones cleared the bench, shifting from upside bets to veteran insurance.<\/p>\n
Since then, Goodwin has bounced through Memphis and Los Angeles, adding miles and minutes to his r\u00e9sum\u00e9. Entering his fifth season, he fits the profile of a depth piece: 154 games played, 24 starts, and the kind of experience that speaks more to reliability than untapped potential.<\/p>\n
He and Jared Butler will be the hinge point of training camp, a preseason storyline that will shape the back end of the guard rotation and reveal which direction the Suns choose to lean.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s right. A player who started 34 games for the Phoenix Suns last season now finds himself slotted into The Depth Pieces. I didn\u2019t put him there, the consensus did. And maybe that\u2019s the point.<\/p>\n
Nick Richards isn\u2019t a wild card; he\u2019s a known quantity. At 7 feet, he brings size, touch, and utility, but also well-documented limitations. Behind Mark Williams and ahead of Khaman Maluach on the depth chart, Richards embodies the definition of a depth piece. He\u2019s a talented big man whose ceiling feels visible, whose floor keeps him useful, and whose role is as much about stability as surprise.<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s a wrap on SunsRank preseason 2025.<\/p>\n
Now the responsibility shifts to you. The final votes that will bring this project to a close. Once the ballots are in, we\u2019ll compile the rankings, gather thoughts from our writing team on who belongs where, and deliver the finished product.<\/p>\n
Then, when the season ends, we\u2019ll revisit it all over again, measuring expectations against reality. Thank you for the time, the effort, and the care you\u2019ve put into this process. It\u2019s what makes SunsRank more than a list. It makes it a conversation.<\/p>\n