1 New Year’s resolution for every team in 2024: Pacific Division
By Tyler Key
Suns Resolution: Narrow down their options for a 9-man playoff rotation.
Phoenix needs… to figure out which combination of players works best for their playoff rotation. Historically this is an 8-9 man rotation (10 at the very most). So far this season, the Suns have played 12 different players in 20+ games and that does not include Bradley Beal, who has been injured for much of the season.
Common sense will indicate that 13 players is far too many to be playing frequently if a team wants to build chemistry. The question is, who should the Suns take playing time away from? The top four for the Suns should be set with Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Jusuf Nurkic.
From there, the other must-plays are likely; Grayson Allen, Eric Gordon, and Josh Okogie. Jordan Goodwin has also played so well that he is a borderline lock. With that being said, that looks to leave Yuta Watanabe, Keita Bates-Diop, and Nassir Little all out of the rotation.
Additionally, there are tons of question marks about the backups for the front-court. Drew Eubanks and Chimezie Metu have played 28 and 21 games respectfully and both have started multiple games. Udoka Azubuike has also been getting some courtime lately and brings a bulkier body to the table. Lots of uncertainties that need to be ironed out.