Suns Prioritized Length in Roster Construction

The Phoenix Suns are in serious business ahead of the 2023-24 season.

After years of not capitalizing on their potential, next season could very well be the year the Suns bring home a franchise first NBA Finals title.

"We've been encouraged and charged with doing bigger things," Phoenix general manager James Jones said. "When you do bigger things, it requires more work, more output. And it requires more collaboration and more cooperation from the entire team. We're here to do great things, not just be a good team but be an elite team.

"I love where we are right now. We're talking about forming the best team in the NBA."

Star power ultimately drives championships in the NBA, and there's no lack of that in the Valley with names such as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Deandre Ayton among a slew of strong veterans assembled in free agency.

Phoenix is no doubt talented - but they're also quite long.

As pointed out by Sam Cooper - host of The Timeline Podcast - the Suns have eight players with a wingspan of seven feet or longer. No player on the roster has a wingspan less than 6-8:

List of 7 foot wingspans on the Suns roster, from highest to lowest:

Bol Bol
Deandre Ayton
Kevin Durant
Keita Bates-Diop
Ish Wainright
Chimezie Metu
Toumani Camara
Josh Okogie

There is no player on the entire roster with a wingspan under 6'8".

They are L O N G
— Sam Cooper (@scooperhoops) July 16, 2023

Suns coach Frank Vogel is hoping to maximize Phoenix's defensive output:

“You can never have enough defensive talent. I like the guys who we’ve added. This is going to be a team that the stars are going to have to step up and really bring it on the defensive end as well," Vogel said.

"They’ve got to carry their own weight. When you put together a group that we have with Bradley, Devin (Booker) and Kevin (Durant) and the big fella (Deandre Ayton) behind us, all those guys are going to be heavy minutes guys. They’re going to all have to draw a primary matchup and they all expressed in doing so. They’re all excited about that challenge and it’s going to be great.”

Length across the board should pose challenges for opposing teams on both ends of the court. If Phoenix can instill the sort of toughness Vogel is looking for on top of their natural length and talent, the Suns should be a team to fear next season.

"But our guys are going to hear that the number one habit that we develop all year is that we have to play harder and tougher and with more hustle than our opponents every night," said Vogel.

"Because if you develop that habit over 82 games, immediately come playoff time when every team is trying to ratchet it up, it's already going to be there for us. It's just something that's going to be a way of life for us from the beginning of training camp all the way to playoffs."