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Feb 22, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) and forward Dillon Brooks (9) watch play against the Utah Jazz from the bench during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Suns’ Top X-Factors for 2025-26 Season

Originally posted on Phoenix Suns on SI | By Brendan Mau | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 11:36 AM ET

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns have a lot of question marks heading into the 2025-26 season after retooling their roster this offseason.

Phoenix is not projected to do much coming off a 36-46 season and welcoming in a lot of new faces who will be big contributors.

Still, even in a crowded Western Conference, there is a path to the Suns surpassing expectations if things fall in line under new coach Jordan Ott.

With how the team is currently made up, there will be a lot of room for different players who can step up to make a big difference.

It’s hard to choose just one X-Factor for the Suns next season, as there are really three players who stand out, all of whom are newcomers:

1. Jalen Green

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Green’s fit with Devin Booker in the Suns’ backcourt will likely be Phoenix’s biggest key to a successful 2025-26 season, which you can read more about by clicking here.

Phoenix needs Green to be its second-best offensive player, but can’t afford his inconsistencies and lack of playmaking ability he showed with the Houston Rockets.

With the Suns’ lack of shot creating outside of Booker and Green, Green will have to adapt his game to whatever is needed from him in Phoenix but shine on offense as the No. 2 behind Booker, something he didn’t have to do as the No. 1 scoring guard option in Houston last season.

Ott will be tasked with creating a system to allow Green to thrive next to Booker, which will likely involve playing much faster to take advantage of Green’s explosiveness.

2. Dillon Brooks

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Brooks comes over to the Suns from Houston as the leader in helping craft Phoenix’s new identity and culture owner Mat Ishbia wants to create.

This will be a huge key to how Phoenix meshes not only this season, but for the future.

Brooks is also still a proven player, averaging 14.2 points for his career and a career-high 39.7% from 3, which could make him a top-3 player on the team most nights as well as the heart and soul of the team with his defensive intensity.

Brooks will be a player the Suns need with his gritty mindset, and his play on the court could make a difference in several games.

3. Mark Williams

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

If Williams can stay healthy, the Suns might finally have a reliable center they can build around, but will have to make a decision before the season whether to extend Williams as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.

Williams enters the fold as a huge question mark with his injury history, playing only 106 total games through his first three seasons, and how he will fit on the team without a true point guard.

The Suns will simply be a much better team if Williams can be healthy, find a way to fit offensively without a point guard and fix their rim protection on defense.

Williams’ skillset is something the Suns desperately need to take a step forward, so he could be end up being their biggest X-Factor depending on his health if he can prove to be the center they've desperately needed.