The Suns head into 2025-26 still seeking a true lead guard after Tyus Jones left for Orlando, pushing Devin Booker to anchor a multi-guard attack with Jalen Green if he starts at point. With Durant and Beal moved on, Phoenix bets its offense on Booker’s playmaking, Green’s growth, and Collin Gillespie stepping up as a reliable secondary ballhandler. New coach Jordan Ott must weave a flexible system around a roster that features combo guards like Goodwin and Butler while keeping a center-centered floor for offense to flourish without a traditional facilitator.

Oklahoma City Thunder sit at the top of a strongly contending West in 2026, with Denver, Houston, and Minnesota close behind as the field shapes up. In the East, Cleveland and New York are locks, Orlando is primed for a big leap after bold moves, and Detroit, Atlanta, and the Bucks jockey for position behind them. The Lakers, Clippers, Spurs, and Warriors hover as plausible playoff entrants; the Spurs–Warriors debate sticks the bubble in a tight race. For fantasy, Sengun and Amen Thompson pop as breakout bets in Houston, Durant redefines load in a revamped Rockets roster, and superstars like LeBron and Doncic carry heavy workloads on star-studded teams.

The piece emphasizes risk and opportunity: high-usage stars will bear heavy minutes, rest plans loom for veterans, and rising young cores could flip standings. Desmond Bane’s move, Porzingis’ fit, and the continued evolution of Orlando’s engine around Banchero, Wagner, and Suggs create structural shifts that fantasy managers can exploit, from ceiling plays to reliable floor leaders.