We’ve arrived at the final stop on our journey to understanding how the community at large ranks each player of the Phoenix Suns roster relative to the term “best.”
Typically, I don’t like to use words like greatest, best, or worst. They sound decisive. In sports, they usually create more confusion than clarity. They rely on subjective criteria. What counts as “best”? Stats, leadership, longevity, impact, or performance in clutch moments? Everyone weighs those differently. One fan leans on availability, another leans on impact or advanced metrics. Without clear criteria, it becomes opinion dressed up as analysis.
I throw all that out of the door when I look at the SunsRank conversation. Because I want the subjectivity. I like reading how people ended up where they did. Speaking of which, here’s where we are through the first 15 players that you’ve been asked to SunsRank:
4
Collin Gillespie
Collin Gillespie
5
Grayson Allen
Mark Williams
6
Jordan Goodwin
Grayson Allen
7
Mark Williams
Jordan Goodwin
8
Oso Ighodaro
Oso Ighodaro
9
Rasheer Fleming
Royce O’Neale
10
Khaman Maluach
Rasheer Fleming
11
Royce O’Neale
Ryan Dunn
12
Ryan Dunn
Khaman Maluach
13
Jamaree Bouyea
Haywood Higsmith
14
Haywood Highsmith
Jamaree Bouyea
15
Koby Brea
Amir Coffey
16
Amir Coffey
Isaiah Livers
17
Isaiah Livers
Koby Brea
18
CJ Huntley
CJ Huntley
I knew there would be a difference of opinion in the Pillars tier, and we sure received it. Outside of Oso for 8th, the percentages were all over the board. That’s what made that tier so intriguing, because it truly personified the SunsRank conundrum. You likely ranked on attributes you deemed most important, and thus the variance occurred.
Consensus brought us to where we are, but not everyone saw it the same way. While the majority believed Mark Williams was the 7th best player on the Suns, we still had 20% vote him 4th. Jordan Goodwin recevied 18% of his votes for 4th. It’s a reminder that, while we all watch this team and this sport, we see it differently.
And now, on to the final tier, the Cornerstones. These are the players the franchise rests on, the names etched into the season’s story before the first tip. They set the tone, and if the Suns succeed, it’s because these players delivered.
On the surface, when you look at the total points and percentages, it feels like a down year for Devin Booker. Then you look around him and see how many players had career years, and you can point directly to the gravity he creates as part of the reason why.
Was he great late in games toward the end of the season? No. Absolutely not. That’s what makes evaluating him this year feel different. Not difficult, different. It feels like some of the edge wasn’t there.
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
64
33.5
26.1
3.9
6.0
0.8
45.6%
33.0%
87.3%
115.9
112.0
+201
If you want to talk about edge, Dillon Brooks brought it in abundance. He delivered one of the more surprising seasons I can remember in recent years. We all had expectations for what he could be as a member of the Phoenix Suns, still, I don’t think many of us expected the scoring production he provided.
That’s why he lands in the Cornerstone tier.
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
56
30.4
20.2
3.6
1.8
1.0
43.5%
34.4%
84.2%
113.7
114.8
\-49
The young player with all the upside, the kind of upside that could genuinely alter the trajectory of the Phoenix Suns if everything clicks. Jalen Green gave us an incomplete season, and that’s disappointing considering he entered with a reputation for being available and durable.
The status still exists. The talent still exists. The question becomes whether the lack of availability changes how you rank him overall.
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
32
25.9
17.8
3.6
2.8
1.1
42.2%
31.3%
74.7%
114.2
113.5
+33
And now, your final SunsRank votes of the spring.