Phoenix Suns Training Camp Update: “Fresh” and “new” energy in the air

There is a different feeling about this team, isn’t there?

Every season brings a fresh start, along with renewed optimism and excitement. Once again, the Phoenix Suns are 0-0, just as they were at this time last year. Last season’s team carried heavy expectations, while this year’s squad is somewhat flying under the radar. We’re not hearing all of the national talking heads spending their time talking Phoenix. They’re wondering how Bronny can break into rotations. Fine by me.

Expectations aren’t as high, partly because of the disappointing way the previous season ended, and partly due to the fierce competition in the Western Conference. Sure, Phoenix can be good. But with teams like OKC, Minnesota, and Denver out there, how can they be that good?

If you’ve listened to Media Day interviews and watched what is happening in training camp, you’ll see a difference, however. It feels different, doesn’t it? They have direction. They have a plan. They have…what’s the word I’m looking for…personality. Identity, perhaps? That is something last year’s team surely lacked.

This team has a confidence and connectivity about them, fueled by continuity and cohesiveness. They have a shared camaraderie, especially for those who felt the disappointment of losing at the hands of the Timberwolves last season in the playoffs. A lotta “C” words, right?

While Arizona has the ‘Five C’s’ (climate, cotton, citrus, copper, and cattle), the 2024-25 Suns have their own ‘Five C’s’: connectivity, continuity, confidence, cohesiveness, and camaraderie.

With nine returning players, most of this year’s core has built a foundation of shared experience, having played countless pivotal moments on the court. They’ve developed an intrinsic understanding of each other’s tendencies, strengths, and instincts, allowing them to anticipate movements and make quicker, smarter decisions as a unit.

This familiarity, combined with the sting of last season’s embarrassing postseason loss, has fostered a deeper bond. It’s not just about redemption; it’s about rallying together with a collective sense of purpose, using that shared setback as fuel to elevate their play and strengthen their camaraderie.

“This environment now,” Bradley Beal stated after practice yesterday, “it’s lightyears for sure better than what we experienced, everybody, from last year. It’s just a new energy…We’re excited about the pieces that we added.”

Beal joked about the list of duties he’ll be sending to rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro later that evening.

“Everybody’s ready to go,” Devin Booker added. “Great energy in here, fresh energy, new energy, and we’re having fun with it at the same time.”

Fun? I don’t remember fun last year. Do you?

The “fresh energy” comes as a result of key additions, such as Tyus Jones, Mason Plumlee, and Monte Morris, as well as the rookie element. Yeah. The Suns actually have rookies this season and their inquisitive and absorbing approach has impressed their vets.

“They’ve been like light years ahead of most rookies coming in,” Beal said. “They’re just so attentive to detail, like, they just want to learn.”

Sure, it’s only training camp, and just a few days into it. But again, it feels different.

Optisim means nothing without results, and the Suns’ Five C’s are a moot point without victories. But if they continue to fortify those Five C’s, a sixth “C” could occur: Championship.

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