The Phoenix Suns have switched several pieces in their puzzle this offseason, the most discussed move being their decision to part ways with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
Durant’s trade to the Houston Rockets brought five players, including Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, to the Valley. Later that month, Mark Williams joined the fray after being traded by the Charlotte Hornets (for the second time). That same night, the Suns selected Khaman Maluach with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. On the second day of the 2025 NBA Draft, they added Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea. Beal was then bought out of his contract, with Phoenix signing Jordan Goodwin and Jared Butler the next week.
These newcomers will be responsible for not just the team’s quest to disprove the “so-called experts”, but also help their own careers.
Ranking Suns Newcomers With Most To Prove In 2025-26
3. Dillon Brooks
Brooks joins Jordan Ott’s side with a plethora of experience. He enters his ninth season in the NBA, averaging double-figures in eight of those campaigns. However, Brooks has already peaked. Last season, he averaged 14.0 points per game, a respectable number but -4.4 points per game fewer than the career-high he posted during the 2021-22 season.
Nonetheless, Brooks has increased his production on both the offensive and defensive glass over the past few seasons. He’s become a more prolific outside shooter, attempting at least 6 3-point attempts per game in two of the past three seasons. Even more importantly, he became a leader for the Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies. In his time with Houston specifically, his steady guidance and defense helped them clinch the second seed in the 2025 Western Conference playoffs.
With three rookies, Green and multiple second and third-year players, Brooks will need to provide mentorship again. He’ll also have to set the tone for the team’s culture, which is what he struggled with prior to joining the Rockets and why the Grizzlies let him leave in free agency.
2. Mark Williams
Roughly four months ago, Williams was nearly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
This was partially the byproduct of a longstanding effort to add a sizable center. In the immediate time frame, it was part of their retool after acquiring Luka Dončić. With the prize playmaker now in purple and gold and an All-Star big man in Anthony Davis heading to the Dallas Mavericks, there was a clear need for another center. Yet, his trade– which would have seen Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap go to the Charlotte Hornets– fell through, reportedly due to concerns over his physical.
With that being said, Williams has significantly improved since being drafted three years ago. After only averaging 9.0 points per game as a rookie, he averaged a career-high 15.3 points per game in 2024-25. Throughout his career,, he’s been able to use his physical tools to be a factor on the boards, pulling down between 19.6 percent and 20.4 percent of all available rebounds every season.
But as previously alluded to, the former 15th overall pick has struggled to remain healthy. In fact, he hasn’t played more than 44 games in any season. With Maluach and Nick Richards other potential starters, Williams needs to remain healthy to be a key piece of the new-look Suns and build on his breakthrough season.
1. Jalen Green
Devin Booker is going to be the focal point of the team this season. There’s no one that will eclipse his star power, like Durant. There aren’t going to be as many cooks in the kitchen either, so he should have no issue getting into a groove. Nevertheless, he still has a second-in command, which everyone has to be mindful of.
An exceptional athlete with a hair-trigger jumper, Green led the Rockets in scoring last season with 21.0 points per game. With the Rockets coaching staff imploring him to affect the game in other areas, he complimented that with 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 stocks (steals + blocks) per game. His durability is also underrated, as he hasn’t missed a game since the 2022-23 season.
All in all, Houston wasn’t a winning team in his first two seasons, but Green had a solid core around him by the time he left Space City. As a result, it will be interesting to see if the change of scenery helps or hurts his production. While seven Rockets averaged double-figures then, only four current Suns players did so in the 2024-25 campaign.
With their dearth of point guards, how Green produces will also be worth watching. In fact, Green could be the one operating as their primary facilitator. Consequently, defenses will be keying in on him more than usual. Those situations will show if Green can deliver under pressure or if his potential has been overestimated.
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