Despite low preseason rankings, Phoenix’s revamped lineup boasts the versatility and athleticism needed to outclass West rivals like the Lakers and Blazers in high-stakes positional battles.
The 2026-27 regular season is now under three weeks from taking shape for the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns open the 82-game slate with a road game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, Oct. 21 in a rematch of the play-in matchup in April.
One of the great mysteries of the upcoming season for Phoenix resides in how the newly shaped starting lineup fits together. while the upside of the unit is real, outlets such as Bleacher Report (Zach Buckley) hold more tempered views.
The Suns come in at no. 20 in Buckley's starting lineup rankings, behind West rivals such as the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, an Los Angeles Lakers.
Explore why the Suns may own advantages over the three rivals below.
How Suns Stack Up With Lakers
One can reasonably formulate the argument that Los Angeles has the superior starting unit simply due to rostering Luka Doncic.
However, the group around Doncic and Austin Reaves raises more questions in comparison to finding answers. Projected starters Quentin Grimes and Jake LaRavia are coming off rough finishes to last season, while Walker Kessler is a high-priced addition who only appeared in five games in 2025-26.
Ultimately, camaraderie, versatility, and athleticism give Phoenix an advantage over the Lakers.
Why Suns Have Advantage Over Blazers
There's an argument to be made that the Trail Blazers have five top-100 players in the league in the starting lineup alone.
However, shooting is perhaps a more in-the-face concern for Portland than it is for Phoenix.
Damian Lillard is an elite floor spacer, but Toumani Camara is the most reliable marksman behind the multi-time All-Star.
Beyond this, Phoenix is a more athletic starting unit once again, giving the team more opportunities to pressure the rim and get to the free throw line in theory. Jalen Green is also a matchup problem for Portland, as Camara is sure to be shadowing Booker.
Portland's starting lineup is likely more talented on paper, but it also faces many more questions at the same time.
Jazz Aren't Quite Ready to Usurp Phoenix
Utah has one of the most intriguing starting units in the NBA.
It starts with two dynamic guards (Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson), which is complimented with three players that stand at 6'11" or taller.
The positional versatility, shotmaking ability, and raw playmaking that is present here is astounding on paper. Jaren Jackson Jr. is also one of the best defenders in the NBA.
However, the rest of the defensive arrangement faces questions, while the Jazz might be one of the weaker rebounding squads in the league.
Expect Miles Bridges and Oso Ighodaro to gift Phoenix marked matchup advantages against less athletic opponents.
