Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

What can we learn from the Suns’ preseason where they went 2-2? A lot.

From the all-around roster change to the switch from Igor Kokoskov to Monty Williams, it’s leading to raised expectations and what looks like a legitimately competitive roster. Also, the experience provided from the Suns’ 2019 rookie class is pushing this rotation possibly to 11 instead of 10.

After multiple years where there seemed to be no direction and youth in place of experience, the opposite rings true now. Now, it’s time to see if Phoenix’s franchise pillars — Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton — can take advantage of the opportunity. What did preseason tell us about how ready these two are to do so?

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Preseason has been hard to watch online or on TV this year, but we’re here to fill you in on everything you might have missed this week.

First, the Suns’ onslaught in Portland, as they made 24 threes and blew out the Trail Blazers. Then our live reactions from a difficult matchup against the Nuggets.

Are we any closer to knowing who will start at forward or who fills out the 10-man rotation for the Suns? Who has surprised us? What should we expect at the start of the regular season?

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Wondering how the 2016 draft class is doing for the Suns? At least one, Marquese Chriss, seems to be finding solid footing right now with Golden State. We go down memory lane once more.

This news shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges’ third-year team options were picked up today. Both will be long-term fixtures on the Suns.

What was Ryan McDonough’s original draft plan? It might have been unveiled this week. McDonough mentioned on a podcast he was trying to trade up to No. 1 overall in the 2013 draft to select Victor Oladipo. Would things have changed much in the Valley?

We then close out the show looking ahead to the Suns’ next matchups against Portland and Denver.

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After the Suns’ preseason slate opened with an impressive win over Minnesota, poor shooting and missed opportunities headline a loss in Sacramento.

From Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton to Jevon Carter and Dario Saric, all angles of this game were covered on today’s episode. For those who couldn’t find the time to watch, this is a nice breakdown of what happened.

How much should we truly take away from preseason action, too? It’s a time to knock some rust off for some players, but are there trends out there that correlate?

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Brendon goes solo again as Evan gets settled into his new place, but the show remains the same: A closer look at what happened in the Suns’ 111-106 victory over Minnesota.

Jalen Lecque was one of two healthy scratches in the game after Monty Williams bluntly said pregame the team wouldn’t gift minutes anymore. What does this DNP tell us about the development plan for Lecque?

The Suns also conspicuously took very few threes in this game, and Deandre Ayton didn’t let a single long-range jumper fly. What gives?

Finally, a quick preview of the matchups and storylines as the Suns travel to Sacramento to play the Kings on Thursday.

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Suns basketball is finally back, which means Locked On Suns will be coming to you live from every home game once more at Talking Stick Resort Arena. There were plenty of positives to analyze as the Suns kicked off the 2019-20 season.

Is this what having a starting point guard feels like? Ricky Rubio’s presence sure looks to be an immediate upgrade over last year’s group already. The rookies also continue to impress as Cameron Johnson and Ty Jerome saw significant time on the court.

What other notes stood out following a well-organized game plan executed from head coach Monty Williams and his coaching staff?

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We break down the official injury updates on Kelly Oubre Jr., Mikal Bridges, Aron Baynes, Jalen Lecque and David Kramer to get you ready for this week in Suns land.

We also recap the final days of training camp as well as the team’s open practice in Phoenix over the weekend.

And we close the show with a quick preview of the first preseason game, including the Deandre Ayton-Karl-Anthony Towns matchup and Monty Williams’ desired 10-man rotation.

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As Michael Pina noted in his latest story at SB Nation, many fans rarely think of Deandre Ayton when they think of the Suns despite his impactful rookie season. Why is this?

Pina helps us run through his takeaways from Ayton’s rookie year, what he wants to see in Year Two, and how Ayton can turn into a solid pro over time. A more conservative defensive scheme and more threes and playmaking opportunities will help, but there remains an unknowable obstacle in terms of his understanding of the game.

Finally, we take a look at how the Suns’ added shooting and veteran depth might aid Ayton’s development right away.

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We break down what's new with the Phoenix Suns as their preseason continues with training camp in Flagstaff.

Outside of the latest injury updates on Kelly Oubre Jr. and Mikal Bridges, this rookie class continues to draw early buzz. Are the expectations now higher for Cam Johnson and Ty Jerome?

The 2018 class is setting up to be very special. Not only Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic, and Trae Young but all of the other young bigs as well. Marvin Bagley III, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Wendell Carter have the chance to fully breakout in their sophomore campaigns. 

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Suns basketball is finally back, which also means daily coverage from us here on Locked On Suns. Today, we run through all of the latest news and takeaways from training camp.

Ricky Rubio is an underrated piece to the Suns’ puzzle this year, but his leadership might be his most important trait. And are we underselling how much contribution Phoenix could receive from Ty Jerome and Cameron Johnson early on?

We close analyzing the differences noticed so far between Monty Williams and Igor Kokoskov as the head coach.

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