PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns’ 2024-25 season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers is about two months away.
With that, the rotation is just a few weeks away from being defined, and while there is a general idea of how it will shape up, nothing is set in stone outside of what the top seven will likely be.
Tyus Jones, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale are already committed – everything else seems uncertain.
While Mason Plumlee and Bol Bol appear to be safe bets to see significant playing time, the wing rotation is far from a finished product.
Josh Okogie, along with Damion Lee, Nassir Little and even first-round rookie Ryan Dunn could battle for playing time early in the season – especially with injuries and general fatigue in mind.
Dunn might have the best chance based solely on his athleticism and defensive prowess, but the general feeling is that he’s not quite ready for the pros, at least in terms of accumulating consistent minutes.
He comes to the NBA with defensive skills perhaps even more highly regarded than former aces like Matisse Thybulle and even Tony Allen, but his offensive game also has plenty of room for improvement.
Can he progress enough in the coming weeks to earn some early-season playing time? It’s possible, but he could still get some minutes.
The roster lacks exceptional POA defenders – Dunn is probably already the best on the roster – and he may need to be played when needed, even at the cost of playing 4-on-5 on offense.
Dunn’s final fate will be known in the coming weeks, but he certainly offers more upside on an NBA court than a teammate like Okogie.
It could very well serve the Suns positively if the Virginia product gets at least some time early in the season — while also keeping the G League option open during the Valley Suns’ inaugural season.
