Evaluating Best Lineup Combos for 2023-24 Suns
After a chaotic offseason, the Phoenix Suns have assembled a roster for the 2023-24 NBA season, a season with championship-level excitement beginning to fizz.
As the dog days of summer wear on, teams have yet to fully gather and experiment with their chemistry among newly acquired players. The Suns have plenty of new faces coming in after an unexpectedly successful offseason turned a new leaf on a roster failing to get it done in the Valley. The Suns have eight new players on the roster and a new head coach.
The Suns potential lineups feature plenty of scoring and shooting with the likes of G Devin Booker, F Kevin Durant, G Bradley Beal, G Eric Gordon and F Yuta Watanabe.
The size concern was also answered in the offseason when the Suns went out and brought in five new players all over 6'8". The height and wingspan combos in Phoenix now make the Suns a more physical team than before, without sacrificing any shooting ability.
Below are the projected lineups for the 2023-24 Phoenix Suns:
Starters
PG- Bradley Beal
SG- Devin Booker
SF- Josh Okogie
PF- Kevin Durant
C- Deandre Ayton
The starters for the Suns will be in consideration for some of the best in the league. From a purely on-paper standpoint, three consistent all-stars and three of the league's 20 best players are going to somehow share the scoring duties. It has yet to be determined who will be the leading scorer, but three players capable of leading a team will all be on the floor for opening tip-off in Beal, Booker and Durant.
Suns with now three All-Star caliber players in potential staring lineup next season.
From a defensive perspective, Booker, Okogie and Durant all have ratings above average for their respective positions and have a reputation for solid defense.
A deadly lineup that will be able to compete with any NBA starters, the Suns starting five pair well with each other as well.
The Suns will possess three levels of scoring with outside shooting, midrange knockdowns and paint options. The starting lineups should be able to play a well balance game on both ends of the floor and score from every region.
2nd
PG- Devin Booker
SG- Eric Gordon
SF- Kevin Durant
PF- Yuta Watanabe
C- Drew Eubanks
This potential lineup features a more ball dominant Booker with rotational players in the mix. Ayton, Beal and Okogie get some rest while Booker and Durant are able to shoulder the scoring responsibilities.
With the personnel on the floor, Booker and Durant are featured as more of slashing players with their ability to drive to the rim. Watanabe and Gordon could be pure perimeter shooters available for Booker and Durant to find in corners or coming off of screens. Watanabe and Gordon both hold career 3-point percentages over 37%.
Veteran G Eric Gordon will bring his sharp shooting ability to Phoenix for the 2023-23 season.
Another nice addition to this lineup from an offensive standpoint is Eubanks being utilized as a screener with Booker and Durant. Eubanks should have no problem receiving passes due to Booker's speed and Durant's wingspan, which will make passing to the rolling Eubanks easier.
3rd
PG- Devin Booker
SG- Kevin Durant
SF- Yuta Watanabe
PF- Drew Eubanks
C- Deandre Ayton
This lineup sees Booker as the primary ball handler again with Durant at the other guard position. While this lineup may be only used in special circumstances, the height and scoring combination is what gives this group a unique edge over most opponents.
Watanabe, Eubanks and Ayton pose a large threat inside with lethal shooting outside. It will be difficult for teams to matchup the size and and athleticism with this lineup on the defensive end of the ball. Head coach Frank Vogel could enjoy the challenge of these players on the floor and figuring out the best set plays for this squad.
4th
PG- Bradley Beal
SG- Jordan Goodwin
SF- Devin Durant
PF- Yuta Watanabe
C- Deandre Ayton
This potential lineup is an intriguing bunch, especially if one truly believes in floor chemistry. It has been well documented the relationship that Durant and Watanabe have together. Durants ability to create shots for teammates off the dribble has resulted in 14 assists to Watanabe last season with the Brooklyn Nets, even with Watanabe's limited role.
These two players, with similar in size and stature, compliment each other's style of play, almost in a superhero and sidekick role.
F Kevin Durant and F Yuta Watanabe seem to benefit from each other when on the floor.
Beal and Goodwin also have a connection that runs deep. St. Louis, MO. is the city in which connects the two former Washington Wizards. After Beal established himself as an household name in the NBA landscape, he established an AAU team in St. Louis, Bradley Beal Elite.
Goodwin, being six years younger than Beal, played on Bradley Beal Elite in St. Louis from eighth grade to senior year of high school. Goodwin has always admitted Beal as being his mentor in the league and now the two will have a chance to play together once again and chase a ring under this friendship.
