The Suns kicked off the 2025-26 season with a decisive 103-81 win over the Lakers in Palm Desert, signaling a pivotal rebuild under new coach and philosophy. Devin Booker anchored the night with 24 points in 25 minutes as Dillon Brooks unleashed his defensive ferocity and relentless effort, helping Phoenix establish an early identity built on hustle, turnovers, and extra possessions. A mix of veterans and 14 new players began to show chemistry, with Grayson Allen spacing the floor and Booker orchestrating the offense in a rock-solid first impression.

From the outset, Phoenix pushed tempo, grabbed offensive boards, and forced six Lakers turnovers, laying the groundwork for a 31-16 first quarter. The Lakers answered in the second, aided by a flurry of free throws, but the Suns still carried a 57-44 lead into the break. The third quarter highlighted Nick Richards, Khaman Maluach, and Fleming on the defensive end as Phoenix extended the advantage to 27, while Booker and Brooks kept the offense humming. In the final stretch, rookies and depth players flexed, with Maluach drawing attention for his size and energy. The Suns head to China next week to face Brooklyn, leaving optimism that the blueprint has real substance for the season ahead.

Three blockbuster genres mirror the Suns’ 2024–25 journey: Groundhog Day, Titanic, and Inception. The team opened 8-1 but never escaped a cycle of stagnant offense and defensive slips, leaving a 36–46 lament that deflates the highest payroll in NBA history. The roster’s three-star experiment—Beal, Durant, and Booker—carried championship-era hype, yet the season leaned into chaos as tweaks and lineup shuffles failed to solvent the core issues. Beal’s role flickered between star usage and bench speculation, while the roster feel of a luxury liner with a fragile hull worsened the sense of an unsinkable roster finding no clear exit. The Inception angle asks: is the peak real or illusion? Did the top spin on a still-unproven dream of title destiny? The Suns’ story remains unresolved, a dreamlike mix of potential and volatility that keeps fantasy managers on edge as the schedule rolls on. Podcast episodes urging fans to weigh the three-film metaphor against real on-court rotations underscore the unsettled path ahead and the need for flexible, dynamic rostering.

Phoenix Suns add Steve Clifford to their staff as an advisor, tapping a seasoned NBA mind to bolster a young, upside driven group. Clifford brings 23 seasons of coaching experience and a track record of defensive organization that should help a young core grow with discipline and structure. The Suns’ newly announced on bench features head coach Jordan Ott and assistants Jesse Mermuys, DeMarre Carroll, Brian Randle, Chaisson Allen, John Little, Mike Muscala, and Sean Dwyer, plus Mateen Cleaves in a player development leadership role. Clifford’s history includes head coaching stints with the Hornets and Magic, and his Brooklyn connection with Ott hints at a collaborative, cross runway approach as he helps guide a roster now including Mark Williams and Nick Richards. The Suns also push development via the Suns JAM Session Podcast, signaling a broader commitment to integrating youth with veteran guidance each step of the way.

The move signals a shift toward defense and professional growth as Phoenix builds around a talented but inexperienced core. Clifford’s presence could translate into steadier rotations, better rim protection, and a clearer path for Williams and Richards to develop alongside the team’s young wings. Cleaves joining development efforts complements this by embedding leadership for players chasing a bigger role. In short, Phoenix is creating a bridge between tomorrow and today, aiming to accelerate growth while preserving competitive intent across a pivotal season.