Phoenix Suns insider gives prediction for 2025-26 season
Arizona Republic writer Duane Rankin gives his prediction for the Phoenix Suns’ 2025-26 season, including win-loss record and playoff chances.
The Phoenix Suns open the 2025-26 regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 22, against the Sacramento Kings at 7 p.m. MST at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The game will be televised locally by Arizona Family and Arizona’s Family Sports.
The Suns went 36-46 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season. They responded by firing Mike Budenholzer and hiring Jordan Ott to mark their fourth head coach in four seasons, traded Kevin Durant to Houston and bought out Bradley Beal, who is now with the Los Angeles Clippers. Key new players include Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, who were acquired from Houston in the Durant trade.
Check back on azcentral.com throughout the day for updates and coverage of the game.
Suns start fast, fizzle to trail big at half
The Suns were winning the possession game in building a four-point lead early in the first quarter.
Grabbing offensive rebounds. Forcing turnovers.
Then Sacramento settled down and proceeded to have their way in building a 71-54 halftime lead. The Kings led by as many as 20 points in the first half as they shot 64.4% from the field, going 7-of-13 on 3s.
Devin Booker scored 14 points to lead the Suns while Zach LaVine posted a game-high 22 points, going 2-of-4 from 3 to lead the Kings. He ended the first half with a 3 with 2.2 seconds left.
Mark Williams made his Suns debut off the bench, scoring four points on 2-of-3 shooting and grabbing two rebounds in 10 minutes.
Suns coach Jordan Ott played three bigs in the first half, including Oso Ighodaro, who got the start as he did in Phoenix’s first three preseason games. Ighodaro managed two points and two rebounds in nine minutes.
Nick Richards also saw action in scoring eight points on 3-of-3 shooting and grabbing three rebounds in five minutes.
The Suns were unable to make 3s (3-of-17), turned the ball over nine times that led to 15 Sacramento points and lack size outside of the center position.
Williams available, not starting
The Suns are sticking with the same starting lineup they used in their first three preseason games of Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks, Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro.
Mark Williams is available and is expected to play, but the Suns have a target number of minutes for him and will come off the bench.
The Suns traded two first-round picks to Charlotte for Williams, but they have been building him since July 1 for the regular season. Placing an emphasis on strengthening his lower body, Williams has been injury-prone as he’s played just 106 games in three NBA seasons.
The question now becomes when will Williams be ready to start a game?
Ighodaro, a second-round pick in the 2024 draft, played 61 games last season, starting six. He has the size of a four man, but is quick, strong and athletic. Nick Richards was the first off the bench in the three preseason games behind Ighodaro. So here’s the second question.
Will the Suns play three bigs tonight?
Suns injury update
The Suns have Jalen Green ruled out for the season-opening game with a right hamstring strain, as he didn’t play in any of their four preseason games.
Green first strained it in training camp leading up to Phoenix’s preseason game on Oct. 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers in Palm Desert. He then reaggravated it during the team’s weeklong stay in China for two games against the Brooklyn Nets. The Suns acquired Dillon Brooks, the 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft, 7-footer Khaman Maluach, and Green from Houston in the Kevin Durant trade.
Green has played in all 82 regular-season games in the last two seasons.
Grayson Allen is listed as probable with left hip soreness. He started for Green in the first three preseason games and rested in the fourth one.
The Kings have Domantas Sabonis (right hamstring strain), Keegan Murray (left thumb UCL) and Isaac Jones (illness) ruled out for the game. With Sabonis out, Drew Eubanks will likely see more action for the Kings. Eubanks averaged 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds for the Suns in the 2023-24 season.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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