I try to view this from the lens of skepticism and pessimism, with the hope of being completely wrong. These are the flaws that many outsiders and skeptics see.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m in the camp that we need to be proven wrong and have the right to be cautious with any sort of optimism after how the past several seasons have gone. They owe it to us to prove us wrong.<\/p>\n
Here are three reasons the Suns will miss the playoffs this season.<\/p>\n
#1) Devin Booker and Jalen Green simply do not work together<\/p>\n
This is a possibility you must brace yourselves for. There is no telling how this duo works together until we see it. It could be a home run, and they pleasantly surprise us with their ability to play off of one another. Or, it could be a disaster with too much overlap.<\/p>\n
This is the most important piece to this Suns puzzle this season. If they exceed expectations, it starts with these two guys. If it falls apart, it\u2019s likely because this duo didn\u2019t click. Sure, \u201cthe others\u201d matter \u2014 but this is the needle mover.<\/p>\n
My main concerns are about the playmaking (or lack thereof), the defensive issues, and the overlap in their games. I\u2019m not saying Jalen Green is Bradley Beal 2.0, but there are a lot of similarities in their games strictly from a \u201crole\u201d perspective. How will this pairing be any different? That\u2019s a question Jordan Ott will have to address early on to make it work.<\/p>\n
For Jalen Green, it\u2019s been 3 years of shaky decision-making, streaky scoring, and subpar defense. If he doesn\u2019t make \u201cthe leap\u201d (and many guards never do), Phoenix could find itself relying on an inefficient volume scorer who doesn\u2019t elevate teammates. If he plateaus, the Suns just traded for a name rather than a difference-maker, and their ceiling drops hard. We are hoping that is not the case.<\/p>\n
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 02: Jalen Green #4 of the Houston Rockets looks on prior to Game Six of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on May 02, 2025 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw\/Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n Booker needs to show improvement from long range. He\u2019s coming off a season where he shot 33.2% from deep on career-high volume. Nearly half the year, he was a non-factor from long range. 37 games under 30% from three, 25 games with one or fewer makes. That\u2019s not a small-sample slump. That\u2019s inconsistency. If he hovers closer to last year\u2019s number than his MVP-candidate 2021\u201322 splits, Phoenix\u2019s offense simply doesn\u2019t have the firepower to hang with playoff teams.<\/p>\n That is an area we need to see improvement in next season with an increased workload. The playmaking and playing off-ball will also be huge next to Green.<\/p>\n For this duo to mesh, Green\u2019s playmaking and efficiency must improve, and Booker has to help stretch the floor and play on and off-ball efficiently.<\/p>\n Simply put, the lack of talent compared to their peers could doom them. The West is loaded with not only elite teams, but there\u2019s a large chunk of talented teams, and even some of the lower-end teams will be sneaky good and competitive. In other words, there will be very few \u201ceasy wins\u201d for anyone.<\/p>\n If Phoenix were in the East, this would be an entirely different discussion. But\u2026 they are not. ESPN (somewhat) recently released its forecast for the season<\/a>, picking the Suns to finish 13th overall with 30 wins.<\/p>\n The Thunder, Rockets, Nuggets, Wolves, and Clippers look like the top dogs, with talented teams like the Lakers, Warriors, Mavs, Spurs, and Grizzlies lurking. That\u2019s already 10 teams there alone, and then you factor in the sneaky talented Blazers and Kings, and you realize how deep the West is.<\/p>\n No easy nights. The Suns will be tested on a nightly basis. Phoenix needs to avoid letting it spiral or snowball during those tough stretches.<\/p>\n OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – APRIL 02: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns drives past Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first quarter at Paycom Center on April 02, 2023 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ian Maule\/Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n #3) Dillon Brooks Is Not a Cure-All for the Defense<\/p>\n I still have some concerns over this defense as a whole. Dillon Brooks brings attitude, hustle, and an edge. Nobody\u2019s disputing that.<\/p>\n He\u2019s not the kind of defensive anchor who single-handedly drags a unit from bottom-10 to playoff caliber. He shouldn\u2019t be responsible for that type of overahul. In Houston, the Rockets improved defensively, but that was also tied to Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn\u2019s growth and a coach (Ime Udoka) who demanded buy-in across the roster on a far younger and more athletic team. Phoenix doesn\u2019t have that infrastructure yet\u2026 though they are trying to build toward that.<\/p>\n![\"SAN](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/gettyimages-2213129163.jpg\"\/)
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