3 reasons to get excited for Phoenix Suns preseason basketball

Not that you need reasons, but in games that don’t count, plenty still matters.

Here we are. After less than a week of training camp, we will have Phoenix Suns basketball tomorrow night. The team heads over to Palm Desert to play the Los Angeles Lakers, and we know eyes will be on this game, quite simply because the national media can’t squeeze enough juice out of the Bronny James story to fill their glass.

While the games don’t count, it doesn’t mean they don’t matter. Sure, we’re not going to see advanced offensive or defensive schemes, nor will we see heavy minutes from the starters. But the minutes still matter. Familiarity matters. Repetitions matter.

This isn’t preseason football, where you have 91 guys trying to make a 53-man squad. Every guy who puts on the purple and orange over the next five preseason games will potentially have an impact on this team at one point or another throughout the 82-game regular season.

But still, it’s hard to get jazzed up about preseason basketball, isn’t it? I don’t think so. This isn’t Summer League. This is an introduction to the 2024-25 Phoenix Suns, and I think there are plenty of things to take away from the games that don’t count. There still is plenty that matters.

The Rookies

It feels weird saying that, right? We don’t often, at least in recent years, have many rookies on the team. Toumani Camara, who the Suns drafted with the 52nd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, was traded before we had a chance to see him play for Phoenix. In fact, the last drafted rookie who logged minutes in the preseason for the Suns was Jalen Smith in 2020.

This year, the Suns have two drafted rookies who will play in the preseason.

Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

Ryan Dunn, drafted 27th overall, and Oso Ighodaro, picked 40th, will be must-watch players during the preseason. Not just because they’re rookies getting their first taste of NBA action, but because both are vying to crack the Suns’ rotation. Each brings a unique skill set that could make an immediate impact, though their development is still a work in progress. The preseason offers our first real glimpse into their potential and how they might fit within the team.

All eyes will be on Ryan Dunn’s jump shot. While widely regarded as the best all-around defensive player from the 2024 NBA Draft, his offensive game at the University of Virginia left room for improvement, making his progression a key storyline to follow.

I asked Ryan how the jumper is coming along at Suns Media Day, to which he responded, “Looks good, feels good. I’m confident.”

As for Oso, the key will be seeing how he matches up against NBA talent. Is he too small to play the five? Too big for the four? How does his floater look? Has he added any range with a consistent 10-foot jumper?

Ighodaro’s connectivity and passing abilities will also be closely watched. His playmaking could quickly endear him to teammates, potentially making him a crucial piece of the offense. Could Oso be our next Dario? A player who connects the offense from the inside out? These are the questions we’ll be asking as he gets extended minutes in the preseason.

Three-Point Volume: The 40% Watch

It’s a storyline we’ll be following not just in the preseason, but throughout the entire season. Mike Budenholzer, along with several players, has emphasized the team’s plan to take more three-pointers. And why not? They certainly have the personnel to make it happen.

But will we see this in the preseason? Practice how you intend to play, sure, but does overall development trump the need to institute the three-ball, at least for the younger players?

The number I’m focused on is 40%. The Phoenix Suns have never attempted 40% of their total field goals from beyond the arc. The closest they ever came? 2020-21, in which 39.2% of their shots were of the three-point variety. Hmmm. What was special about that team?

As for Coach Bud, in his 10 seasons, he’s surpassed that mark four times. His 2021-22 Milwaukee Bucks team, for instance, took 43% of their shots from three-point range.

While we might not see a barrage of threes in the preseason due to the personnel, I wouldn’t be surprised if the team uses it to reinforce Budenholzer’s three-point-focused strategy. Could we see Jusuf Nurkic launch bombs from deep? We might. Let’s hope he makes some, fortifying his confidence. As well as ours.

The Growth of Bol Bol

We’ve seen him working out with KD. We’ve heard the rave reviews from his teammates. It’s time to see it all come together on the court once again.

Bol was one of last season’s biggest surprises in more ways than one. His performances electrified home crowds, and although he had a slow start, his play from January to April was impressive. Over 28 games, he averaged 6.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in just 13.8 minutes per game, shooting an efficient 62% from the field and an outstanding 43.2% from three.

What was almost as surprising, though, was how Frank Vogel reduced his minutes. He played Bol just 8.9 minutes per game in April and only 13 total minutes in the postseason. Bol had made an impact, yet Vogel chose to pull back. The team found a spark off the bench but then seemingly extinguished it.

“If I do what I’m supposed to do,” Bol said on Media Day, “I’m sure everything else will fall in line.”

His teammates are rooting for him to succeed, as Kevin Durant noted last season.

Bol added that he spent his entire summer in Phoenix working on his game. God bless him. I don’t want to stay in Phoenix for the summer, but I didn’t make $2.2 million last year. So I was forced to stay.

The preseason is our first chance to see Bol’s work and how it translates to the court.

Head coach Mike Budenholzer understands the impact of playing Bol. “There’s a lot of positive support on how he impacts our roster,” Bud said on Media Day. “When you look at the analytics, when Bol and Burk played together, those were some of the best numbers last year. We’re excited to bring him back.”

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We know you’ll be watching. What are you looking for? What excites you about the preseason?