Is it time for the Suns to unleash Bol Bol earlier in games?

It took the Suns 12 games before we saw Bol make an appearance. Should he continue to log more minutes with injuries plaguing the team?

Where does Phoenix Suns center Bol Bol currently stand in terms of playing time? For the most part, he spends his time on the bench. However, with the Suns recently waving the white flag at the end of games, Bol has been appearing in garbage time. Whenever Suns fans see Bol on the court, we can’t help but get excited.

This raises the question: should Bol be entering games a little earlier to potentially boost morale while Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant remain sidelined and Grayson Allen continues to be in and out of the lineup? It feels like the answer should be yes.

Do the Suns stay the course, relying on Josh Okogie and Ryan Dunn to spark the offense? Or should they consider incorporating Bol into a smaller lineup at the four position next to Oso Ighodaro to shake things up? This could create more movement across the lane, add length in the paint, and introduce some streaky outside shooting.

It feels like the Suns are often conceding games early due to injuries, so why not experiment by giving Bol more minutes earlier? At this point, there doesn’t seem to be much to lose.

Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

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I say go for it. Watching the Suns sink during lapses in games, surrounded by doubt and misery, is tough enough. Bringing Bol into the game earlier—even as early as the first quarter—could help build his confidence.

We were all eager to see how Bol would perform this season and whether a long offseason of workouts would translate into an improved game.

Well… let’s find out.

I didn’t expect to see Bol too early this season and even predicted he wouldn’t touch the court in the first 10 games. But after watching stretches of lackluster effort on the court, it’s clear we need to start shaking things up.

In his season debut, Bol entered the game with about five minutes left during a blowout loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, and, well, he looked like Bol. It wasn’t overly impressive, but there were glimpses of his potential.

Right now, it’s potential we’re looking for in these games—players who can come in and possibly spark the team, keeping things interesting. With upcoming matchups against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks, these will be tough games. The Suns will need to find a way to stay competitive and keep things close throughout.

We don’t have to win them all, but blowout losses could seriously damage the morale of both the team and the fans in the coming week.

It’s tough to see Beal and Durant injured for this long, especially so early in the season. The Suns need to find a bright spot during this next stretch of games. Could Bol be the one to help spark the team?

Last year, we saw Bol post a 25-point, 14-rebound game against the Houston Rockets. When he scored 10 or more points, the Suns were 6-4. To stay atop the West, maybe a surprise visit from Bol during tough stretches could help the Suns secure a few extra victories—or at least some moral victories.

Do you think the Suns should explore getting Bol into the game earlier, rather than later?