Who Are Suns’ Top Leaders for 2025-26 Season?

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns are transitioning to a completely new roster dynamic next season after being loaded with star talent the past couple years.

Any coach or player who came to Phoenix since 2023 knew exactly who the leaders of the team were in Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal because of their decorated NBA careers and being three of the top-10 highest paid players in the league.

Before that, Chris Paul was a very valuable leader on the Suns from the 2020-23.

Now, Booker is the lone member of these players left as the Suns turn over a new leaf and look to move past a disappointing era with Durant and Beal that saw them win zero playoff games.

Phoenix has made it abundantly clear that the team will be built around Booker for the future with new coach Jordan Ott, new general manager Brian Gregory and owner Mat Ishbia all expressing this sentiment publicly and the Suns signing Booker to a massive extension through the 2029-30 season.

With that said, the Suns also created a new identity this offseason shaped around youth and defense that will require the older players to step up and take on leadership roles as they hope to develop their younger talent and construct a new system.

So who will likely be the top leaders of the 2025-26 Phoenix Suns?

1. Devin Booker

Dec 15, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) celebrates with forward Ryan Dunn (0) and guard Grayson Allen (8) in the second half during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

As long as Booker is a Phoenix Sun, he will be the de facto leader of the team, and everyone who comes to Phoenix still recognizes this.

Durant wanted to come to Phoenix to play alongside Booker, while Beal said right away after he was traded for that this was Booker's team.

Even though those two now have new teams and after a couple disappointing seasons, that sentiment hasn't changed, but Booker will have to do a lot more leading to try to get this new system and roster to work out, especially with the Suns not having any control of their future first-round draft picks through 2032.

With a new young core surrounding Booker, highlighted by Jalen Green (23), Ryan Dunn (22) and Mark Williams (23), the Suns and Booker will have to try to get everyone to fit in around him in order to try to build a solid core not only for this season but for the future.

Rookies Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea also figure to be integral pieces for the future, and with Booker still in his prime years, he will have to lead all of these players to set their roles on the team for the coming years.

2. Dillon Brooks

Mar 2, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) and Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) slap hands during the second half of the game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

While Booker is the star player, Brooks will be the culture and tone setter for the Suns' new identity.

The Suns targeted Brooks in the Kevin Durant trade because of how successful he was with the Houston Rockets in re-shaping their identity alongside coach Ime Udoka, which he will look to do in Phoenix with Ott.

Brooks has an established reputation as a menace in the league that he will look to carry over to Phoenix and try to lead the charge of fixing their defensive woes over the last few seasons.

Brooks also already has experience in helping to improve Green's defense on the Rockets, and he now has plenty of other young players in Phoenix to help develop their defensive prowess, including Dunn, Fleming, Oso Ighodaro, Maluach and others.

3. Collin Gillespie

Apr 13, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) dribbles against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

Gillespie might come as a surprise on this list, given that he will be on his first-ever standard NBA contract next season, but he was able to establish himself as a leader even on a two-way contract last season with the Suns and when he was not playing much.

Durant said this on Gillespie after Gillespie's breakout game on March 4 in which he scored all 10 of his then season-high in points in the fourth quarter to help the Suns pull off a 119-117 win over the Clippers, one game after Gillespie played no meaningful minutes in an 18-point loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves:

"I always love how Colin is poised, and he's a dog, he cares. He was one of the loudest in the locker room after the last game, and he didn't even contribute a minute to that disaster, and he came out and was pissed off after the game last game, so you can tell when he got another opportunity, he was going to make the most of it and go out there and play his game."

Even with all the stars on the team, Gillespie garnered a ton of respect from the locker room in the short time following this performance, scoring in double digits six more times after this game.

This strong last month of the season was why the Suns were comfortable bringing the 26-year-old back as likely the top point guard off the bench.

Gillespie has a very traditional point guard leadership style that the Suns need, and this, coupled with his gritty mentality which fits Phoenix's new identity, should lead to him being one of the most prominent voices on the team this year.

4. Royce O'Neale

Mar 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale (00) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

O'Neale is someone who the younger players, specifically Dunn and Ighodaro really gravitated to last season.

O'Neale, who is the oldest player on the current roster at 32, notably attended new coach Jordan Ott's press conference alongside Dunn and Ighodaro in June.

While O'Neale already has a built-in relationship with some of the players and his personality makes him very easy to like, it's hard to know what his long-term standing is with the Suns given that he doesn't fit their timeline and Phoenix brought in Brooks to help usher in their new defensive identity.

Still, O'Neale's veteran leadership will be very valuable in the locker room for however long he remains on the Suns.

1. Devin Booker

2. Dillon Brooks

3. Collin Gillespie

4. Royce O'Neale

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