Suns Insider Breaks Down Phoenix’s Goals for Next Season

The Phoenix Suns are no longer in the same place they were during the Kevin Durant era.

After years of trying to chase the biggest names and force open a championship window, Phoenix appears to be moving toward something more realistic.

Suns insider John Gambadoro recently laid out what he sees as the Suns’ offseason direction: retain Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin, improve the win total by four to six games, get out of the play-in range and into a secured playoff spot, and continue developing Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach.

That doesn't sound dramatic.

It is also the right approach.

Nobody really expected Phoenix to be great immediately after moving away from Durant. The roster had to be reworked, the asset base was already limited, and the team needed to find a way to stay competitive without pretending it could instantly replace a superstar. In that context, finishing 45-37 and still having young players worth developing is far better than you could reasonably hope for. 

The Suns are not rebuilding in the traditional sense. Devin Booker is still good enough to keep the team competitive. Jalen Green gives them another explosive scorer. Dillon Brooks brings toughness. Ryan Dunn gives them defensive value on the wing. Gillespie and Goodwin both became useful culture and rotation pieces. That is a respectable mix of veterans, prime-age contributors, and young talent.

Keeping Gillespie and Goodwin makes sense because both fit the identity Phoenix seems to be building.

Gillespie averaged 12.7 points and 4.7 assists, giving the Suns steady guard play and enough shot-making to help stabilize the offense. Goodwin averaged 8.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals, bringing the kind of toughness and defensive edge teams need in the backcourt. Neither player is a star, but both help raise the floor.

The bigger swing is development.

That starts with Fleming.

For a second-round pick, Fleming already looks like he belongs. He averaged only 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.2 minutes, so the box score does not jump off the page. But his defensive tools are obvious. At 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds, he has the frame to guard bigger forwards, the mobility to survive on the perimeter, and the length to contest shots. He already looks like an NBA-caliber defender, and that gives him a clear path to staying on the floor and being productive. 

The offense is still developing, but there is enough to work with. Fleming shot 34.6 percent from three as a rookie, which is respectable for a young forward still adjusting to NBA speed. If that shot becomes more reliable, his defensive versatility and floor spacing could make him one of Phoenix’s better long-term role players.

Maluach is different.

The upside is obvious, but so is the rawness. At 7-foot-1 and 250 pounds, he has real size, good defensive instincts, and flashes of touch as a shooter. But there were also moments where he looked physically overwhelmed by NBA strength. That is not surprising. He was a 19-year-old rookie big man trying to learn the speed, spacing, and physicality of the league.

Maluach averaged 3.0 points and 2.9 rebounds, which shows he is still far from a finished product. But the tools are worth investing in. He can protect the rim, cover ground, and eventually become a floor-spacing center if the jumper develops.

That is why Gambadoro’s outlook feels reasonable.

The Suns do not need to pretend they are one move away from a title. They also do not need to tear everything down just because the Durant era did not end the way they hoped. A realistic goal of winning a few more games, avoiding the play-in, retaining useful guards, and developing Fleming and Maluach is a very good direction to have. 

Join The SunsRoundtable

Head over to the SunsRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button under the featured story... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other Suns fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.

Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected].