Breaking Down the 2023-24 Phoenix Suns Starting Lineup: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Team’s Depth Chart, 6th Man, Bench Players, and More

What is the lineup of the Phoenix Suns’ starting 5 players?

Eric Gordon and Keita Bates-Diop have been filling in admirably for Beal and Booker, but their contributions may only be seen as temporary in the grand scheme of the season. The Suns’ optimal lineup is as follows.

Point Guard Devin Booker

Booker, typically a shooting guard, will be transitioning to point guard this season following Chris Paul’s departure in the Beal trade. A three-time All-Star and first team All-NBA selection last season, Booker averaged 27.8 points. The eight-year veteran has been with the Suns since being drafted as the 13th overall pick in 2015.

Booker is a talented shooter who can hit from beyond the 3-point line, as shown by his 183 successful 3-pointers in a single season. He is also a skilled playmaker, averaging 6.8 assists in 2018-19 and 6.5 in 2019-20. In his most recent season, Booker shot a career-high 49.4 percent while starting all 53 games he played.

Shooting Guard Bradley Beal

He was one of the few players in the league who had a no-trade clause in his contract, but he chose to waive it in order to leave Washington D.C. after spending 11 seasons there. Despite only playing 45 postseason games with the team, he had not made it past the second round since 2017 and missed the playoffs entirely in four of the last five seasons.

Beal, who was the third overall pick from Florida in the 2012 draft and a three-time All-Star, achieved a career-best scoring average of 31.3 points in the 2020-21 season, surpassing his previous high of 30.5. He appeared in 40 games two seasons ago and 50 games last season.

Small Forward Grayson Allen

After a successful college career at Duke, Grayson Allen was drafted 21st overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2018 NBA Draft. Despite initial struggles in adapting to the professional level, Allen has made significant progress since joining the Phoenix Suns this season, his fourth team in six seasons. He has achieved career highs in minutes played, points, rebounds, and assists per game, showcasing his improvement. Allen’s growth and ability to stay injury-free will be vital for the Suns as he plays a key role as a starter in the upcoming games.

Power Forward Kevin Durant

Durant, a highly skilled NBA player since being drafted in 2007, has consistently averaged over 29 points per season in five of his 15 years. He led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Finals early in his career and later won back-to-back NBA Finals MVP awards with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. Following stints with the Brooklyn Nets and a trade to the Phoenix Suns in 2022-23, Durant, along with Kyrie Irving and James Harden, faced struggles leading to the trade. Despite this, Durant remains a top contender for the NBA MVP title according to sportsbooks in Arizona.

Center Jusuf Nurkic

In 2014, Nurkic was traded to the Denver Nuggets along with Gary Harris in exchange for the draft rights to Doug McDermott. He then went on to become a key center for the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2016-17 season, consistently shooting above 50 percent and averaging double figures in rebounds four times during his seven seasons. Recently, Nurkic was traded to the Phoenix Suns just before the start of the season, with the Suns sending DeAndre Ayton to Portland in exchange for Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Keon Johnson, and Nassir Little.

Analyzing the Phoenix Suns’ bench for the 2023-24 season

The team has faced challenges this season due to injuries to key players like Booker and Beal. Despite this, promising young veterans Bol, Eubanks, Bates-Diop, and Okogie have caught the attention of other teams, sparking rumors that owner Mat Ishbia may consider trading them for a more experienced player before the upcoming trade deadline in February.

Who is the 6th Man for the Phoenix Suns?

Eric Gordon is serving as the Suns’ unofficial Sixth Man during the 2023 season, with Allen stepping into the role as needed depending on the opponent. Both players have a knack for shooting from long range. Gordon previously served as a primary scorer for the Clippers and Pelicans before taking on a similar role with the Houston Rockets for the past seven seasons. In his 16th season, Gordon has maintained a consistent average of double-digit points throughout his career.

Be sure to capitalize on the best Arizona sportsbook deals when placing bets on Gordon or Allen for NBA awards, or on the Cavs for the Finals or Eastern Conference championship.

Learn more about the Phoenix Suns front office.

Who serves as the head coach for the Phoenix Suns?

Frank Vogel is now coaching the Phoenix Suns in his first season as head coach, replacing Monty Williams after the team’s loss in the playoffs last year. Vogel had previously guided the Los Angeles Lakers to a championship in 2020 and has also coached the Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic. In 2014, he had the honor of coaching the Eastern Conference All-Star team.

Who serves as the General Manager of the Phoenix Suns?

Following a successful 15-season career as an NBA player, which included winning three championships with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers, James Jones made the transition to a front office role with the Phoenix Suns in 2017. Starting as the Director of Player Personnel, he rapidly advanced up the ranks and was promoted to general manager in 2019 following the departure of Ryan McDonough.

Author

Reed Joy

Reed Joy, a seasoned NBA Writer with over 30 years of experience, started covering the league in 1992. He has a strong emphasis on international basketball, having been credentialed for every Olympics since Atlanta in 1996. In addition to his work in sports gambling journalism since 2018, Reed, now 58 years old, still maintains impressive basketball skills, such as sinking 3-pointers and dunking with the help of a ladder.