Are These Suns Players A TRICK Or TREAT AND Should Devin Booker Get More Of A Break For Slow Start?
The Phoenix Suns are 1-4, and supermax player Devin Booker is shooting just 32% in first quarters. Is the criticism fair, or are fans overreacting to a slow start?
Benjamin Garcia and Brandon Duanes break down Booker’s early struggles, the surprising impact of missing Jalen Green, and head coach Jordan Knott’s puzzling rotation decisions. They question why rookies aren’t getting minutes while veterans like Nigel Hayes Davis and Oso Ighodaro struggle to contribute. The hosts also evaluate Mark Williams’ defensive transformation from Charlotte liability to Phoenix anchor, and debate whether the front office deserves credit or blame for the current roster construction. A Halloween-themed “trick or treat” segment rates key players and front office personnel Matt Ishbia and Brian Gregory based on their early season performance.
Tune in for honest analysis of what’s working, what’s broken, and whether the Suns can turn around their disappointing start before it’s too late.
0:00 Intro
1:40 Halloween costumes and brother’s feedback
2:56 Is Ben too hard on Devin Booker?
5:35 Booker’s shooting struggles in key games
8:31 Missing Jalen Green more than expected
11:57 Jordan Knott’s questionable rotation decisions
15:48 The Nigel Hayes Davis problem
19:12 Identity crisis with the current roster
23:00 Mark Williams: Trick or treat?
27:18 Colin Gillespie exceeding expectations
28:40 Jordan Knott’s coaching: Treat or trick?
31:07 Matt Ishbia’s ownership: Learning from mistakes
33:27 Sarver era vs Ishbia’s willingness to spend
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25 Comments
hi ben
Brandonās brother here, Benā¦Iām sorry my opinion of you leaked. You were growing on me truly, and massive W how you put me on āblastā ..you won me over doing so
book a good number 2 thats it
Things we need. Healthy starting 5 and a decent 10 player rotation.
These first few games have been way funner to watch than last year.
I don't miss KD at all.
Book is getting the super max so all criticism is deserved š¢
oso no ty
What happened to the guy who often did these vids with you? The guy with the pipes. Did he leave?
You're not too hard on Book. He needs to be better. Ishbia Gregory and Ott are all tricks. They've seen what a championship team around Book looks like. Some of the pieces are there, but the main piece isn't. Get DB a PG!
Stop. Maluach isnāt currently an NBA player. Just because heās tall, doesnāt mean he can block shotsā¦ he has no feel for the game. Just because heās tall, doesnāt mean he can catch lobs, homie has terrible hands and no one that can throw him lobs. Drafting him was a HUGE mistake. Booker asking out incomingā¦ been saying itās coming since the KD trade.
Book is the ONLY NBA level star on this roster – outside of that your next best assets right now (healthy) are Mark Williams – who is developing nice by the way, AND Grayson Allen. Behind Book, those are your leading scorers.
Things will start to flow once we get Green into the mix and Brooks back in. The last two games weāve seen the fight and competitiveness at least. We win if Book takes better shot selection at the end.
It makes me not happy seeing Oso and Nigel on the floor. I agree that Khaman and Fleming deserve some minutes. Booker needs to be more selfish and focus on scoring instead of piling up assists. I love Grayson, but heās got to shoot better. Also Dunn needs to improve his shooting especially from 3s
here
When green starts the suns will look like a different team
Booker is averaging 29 ppg and shooting 47% from the field, so heās doing his job. The Suns need Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to get healthy if theyāre going to make the play-in
As a rocket fan, I canāt wait to see Green suit up. He will surprise a lot of sun fans; green haters.
As a piston fan I want booker
I donāt understand not playing the rookies when this team is not contending. The most importing thing this season is instilling a culture and being competitive while seeing what you have with younger players. Ott playing journeymen role players who wonāt be on the team next year over your 1rd draft picks donāt make much sense to me.
Itās too early to be criticizing Ott for rotations and not playing the rookies. We all want to see them but i think they have a plan for each rookie and have set milestones to hit to fit a role and earn playing time. Letās have this conversation after 20, 30 or 40 games. Whatās the rush?
I was not onboard when he did those moves my guy. Please speak for yourself. I was against the KD move from day 1
I want Booker to be mvp Booker but you donāt average 30 six assist and five rebounds a game because your bad as a high school coach for 20 years and Iām 61 and have watched ball for 50 years and all of bookers career heās trying to lead and Cris Paul has improved him as a point guard trying to control game I do think kd hurt books aggression when he played together. As a team weāve been missing two starters all year but we are attempting threes at a great rate compared to when we wanted to get there last year and never got there . They could easily be 3-2 and everyone would look different at start to season. Once we get healthy and Booker peaks I think this team will definitely look good
Itās easy to criticize coaching but Ott is doing great and is explaining his thoughts way more than you normally see from coachās what heās trying will change and he has reasons for what heās doing and itās a process to teach and develop young teams
Havent seen Brandon in a while. Cool to see him on the pod
Oso moves the ball and when you dont have a Point Guard, thats very helpful.
I do agree there's 0 reason Oso should be starting
Brandon an OG good to see him back on this podš„