PHOENIX — The opening of training camp for the 2024-25 version of the Phoenix Suns is just a mere two weeks away – with Media Day set to be held on September 30.
The ushering in of a new season brings inevitable talk as to what the team should and perhaps even will look like in the infant stages of the 82-game slate.
Here we will explore five different five-man lineup combinations that could make much sense to frequently go back to over the course of a season.
Starting Five
Tyus Jones, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkic
This is the most obvious combination. Jones was signed to be the starting point guard in Phoenix – and nothing out of the ordinary will change on that front. The rest is self-explanatory – none of the big three will be at risk of losing the honor of starting – and it doesn’t appear as if Oso Ighodaro is ready to become the full-time starting C despite glowing internal opinions on the rookie thus far.Closing Five
Tyus Jones, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Royce O’Neale, Kevin Durant
This is a much more difficult code to crack – and could very well be dictated depending on matchups from game-to-game.
For now, Jones stays in this arrangement due to possessing a historic assist/turnover ratio – something the Suns struggled mightily with last season, particularly late in games.
The big three remain here – as scoring explosiveness is being emphasized over a more traditional lineup with a sturdier source of rebounding such as Nurkic.
O’Neale is the wild card here. His blend of switchability, track record of not being turnover-prone, and ability to knock down open shots make him the selection for the final spot here.Floor-Spacing
Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Damion Lee, Grayson Allen, Kevin Durant
This is a lineup that would be very much exposed on the defensive end, but it would undeniably be extraordinarily exciting to watch in a pinch.
Lee was one of the very most efficient players on corner 3’s in 2022-23. Allen is coming off of a season in which he finished second in franchise history in three-point knockdowns. Beal and Durant shot north of 40% from deep last season, albeit with lower volume compared to many stars. Booker remains a well above average shooter from behind the arc.
Combine this with the trigger-happy nature of Mike Budenholzer’s offense – and this could be a lineup that is historically efficient on what is now seen as one of the two most efficienct shots in basketball.
Athleticism
Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Ryan Dunn, Bol Bol, Oso Ighodaro
This is a lineup the Suns could possibly experiment with in matchups with squads such as the New Orelans Pelicans.
While it may not be the most effective use of talent on either side of the ball, it could serve a distinct purpose.
Booker and Allen are far from Ja Morant level in terms of explosiveness – but both are shifty enough while grading out fairly well in terms of being able to pressure the paint to include them here.
Dunn, Bol, and Ighodaro are all phenomenal athletes that could combat more athletic lineups with a combination of wingspan, height, and agility among the three.Need a Stop?
Grayson Allen, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Ryan Dunn, Jusuf Nurkic
This is another tricky one to figure out.
Allen gets the edge over Beal due to his slight advantage as an athlete at this stage. Booker has proven to bring value on the defensive side of the ball at times, particularly in Olympic play – hopefully this translates to the NBA season.
Durant and Dunn probably remain the top two options as POA defenders – and the other one can defer to more of a help-side role. Josh Okogie could also be slotted in here, but Dunn possesses a longer wingspan and is taller – which makes him more difficult to combat compared to the third-year Sun.
Nurkic gets the edge over Ighodaro for the final spot due to his top-shelf rebounding ability.
Through all the uncertainty that the buildup to the season will inevitably bring, the Suns of this year are certainly looking much better constructed – and Budenholzer will have ample flexibility to shape the squad in his image in pursuit of bringing an NBA title back to Phoenix.
