Suns Show Encouraging Sign After Miles Bridges Trade

What is the state of the Phoenix Suns locker room?

That question has been permeating the NBA world for weeks, as the Suns' organization made a controversial trade for embattled forward Miles Bridges that was officially completed just one week ago.

The narrative has largely been shaped around the belief that the presence of Bridges would disrupt the camaraderie that has been built over the last year-plus under head coach Jordan Ott and general manager Brian Gregory. The notion that Bridges could harm the on-court product, the harmony within the locker room, and the reputation of the organization are all trains of thought that are reasonable, but the team chemistry doesn't seem to be an issue at the moment. 

Phoenix's Summer League head coach Chaisson Allen praised the droves of current members of the 15-man roster that showed up to Las Vegas to support the organization's top prospects, as well as hopefuls earning a spot with the Valley Suns or another professional opportunity altogether. 

The togetherness that the roster showed during Phoenix's five games in Summer League action may seem trivial at the surface, but it truly does expand on the "alignment" that Gregory and Mat Ishbia have pushed so tirelessly to bring to life. 

Will a simple action that shows unity in July translate to another playoff appearance following a 45-win season? 

Not necessarily. However, in a sign of positive development, it appears as if the locker room is embracing Bridges at the moment - opting to move beyond parting with Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale in the process. This doesn't guarantee a clean transition to on-court chemistry, but it does open the door for the team to enter training camp on the same page in a general sense. 

Ott was going to have his work cut out for him regardless of moves that were made in the offseason, but he is now set to be tasked with creating minutes for Bridges, attempting to find his optimal fit offensively, and maximizing three-point output for an offense that was one of the better in the NBA in that department in 2025-26. 

The Suns are still roughly two months away from reaching the opening of training camp in anticipation of the season, but fans already have a reason to be optimistic that the fate of the year to come will yield another step forward in response to a down campaign in 2024-25.

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Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X @khicks_21.