Phoenix Suns basketball is officially back.

The Suns begin the 2026-27 season tonight in Portland with hopes of improving off a 45-win regular season and playoff appearance.

Make no mistake about it: There's expectations now in the desert. The Suns aren't going to sneak up on anybody, and it should be a fun season to see how Phoenix navigates those new waters.

Our season preview — which includes a record prediction, x factors and more superlatives:

Record Prediction

Donnie Druin: 48-34, 5th in West

There's so much talk about the Suns with many expecting them to drop in form from last season. Given their intentions to transition from a heavy three-point team to controlling the paint more, the math game nerds don't exactly love what Phoenix can do.

With that being said, the Suns have another year of continuity under their belt with Jordan Ott now in his second season coaching Phoenix. That has to count for something.

In the NBA, at least during vast stretches of the regular season, effort can will your team to wins, and the Suns have a nice combination of star power, bench play and grit to squeeze out a couple more wins.

Brendan Mau: 46-36, 6th in West 

I have Phoenix finishing one win better than last season and sneaking past the play-in into the sixth seed. 

The Suns got better this offseason, but so did a lot of other teams, and the center position is a big question mark without Mark Williams. 

However, the Suns’ depth and the evolution of Jordan Ott’s system are the two biggest reasons why I feel Phoenix can continue to be successful this year.  

Biggest X-Factor

Donnie Druin: Jalen Green

Green, in my eyes, is truly the person who will determine the outcome of the Suns' season. We know what we can get out of guys like Booker, Brooks and others — but we don't know what Green can fully give us in a Phoenix uniform.

What does a healthy Green-Booker backcourt look like? If we get Green at his best, the Suns can have a dynamic 1-2 punch. If more struggles ensue, Green could very well be a trade candidate emerging out of Phoenix.

Brendan Mau: Miles Bridges

Bridges was Phoenix’s biggest acquisition this offseason and immediately steps into the starting lineup to help fill a need of a bigger body the Suns didn’t have last season.

Bridges will also have to adapt to the Phoenix’s system to do whatever is asked of him after being relied upon as a scorer in Charlotte, and the Suns will hope the trade for him ends up working out given the unprotected 2033 first-round pick they gave up to get him, his domestic violence history and his impending extension. 

Player Most Likely to be Traded

Donnie Druin: Jalen Green

Mark Williams would have been the perfect candidate here, though his injury really pushes that envelope.

Personally, I'll take Jalen Green here as well as Brendan. Green's been involved in trade discussions for awhile now, and he could be one of the biggest names available if the Suns don't see him as a fit next to Booker moving forward.

Brendan Mau: Jalen Green

Phoenix will have to monitor Green’s fit next to Booker closely as he could either have a breakout year or show that he’s holding the Suns back with his inconsistency and inefficiency he’s had problems with in the past. 

With Green being extension eligible, the Suns will have to seriously consider trading him if he doesn’t work next to Booker and in their system. That’s not to say there’s still a good chance the opposite of this happens and Green has a career year.

Player Most Likely to Emerge Into Starting Lineup

Donnie Druin: Collin Gillespie

The only viable pathway for a starting lineup change is at center or guard next to Booker, and if we're evaluating those two spots, Gillespie clearly has the advantage there. He was a spot starter last season and filled in quite nicely when injuries piled.

Brendan Mau: Collin Gillespie

Gillespie stepped up in a major way last season and showed no drop off when he moved in the starting lineup for the majority of the year (58 starts) because of all of Phoenix’s injuries. 

Whether the Suns deal with injuries again or Gillespie simply proves he’s too good to come off the bench, he could end up replacing Green in the starting lineup at some point if Green isn’t fitting in well. 

Most Disappointing Player Candidate

Donnie Druin: Khaman Maluach

I so badly wanted to pick Fleming here, though Brendan did a good job explaining why he fits the billing so I'll take Maluach. The former top ten pick has massive expectations entering this season, even if Oso Ighodaro has starting duties over him at the moment.

Malauch is one of my guys, though fans are clearly expecting a big second-year jump, which also leaves room for massive dissapointment.

Brendan Mau: Rasheer Fleming

The Suns’ top-10 rotation players seem very solid, especially from what they showed in preseason.

Fleming was expected to be a part of this rotation and take a big leap this season, but did not look ready in the preseason, so he’s already starting to look like a disappointing player candidate relative to expectations this year and will try to reverse this narrative when he sees the floor this year.  

Who Wins The NBA Finals?

Donnie Druin: San Antonio Spurs

Victor Wembanyama and co. got a slight taste of success last season, though it wasn't enough. They've clearly got a recipe to beat OKC, and perhaps more experience pushes them over the top this time around.

Brendan Mau: Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder continue to have the perfect combination of talent, depth and experience playing together and after facing injuries last season, I have them getting back on track this year with their second title in three years.