Suns will need to get over this massive hurdle in 2025-2026 schedule

Can Suns survive the back-to-backs:

During the 2024-2025 season, Phoenix was 4-12 when they had no rest. Last year’s roster was the oldest in the NBA, making the lack of rest hard to endure. The projected lineup for this upcoming season is already must younger, with the average age being around 25 years old. Trading away Durant and waiving Bradley Beal opened the door for general manager Brian Gregory to retool the team with much-needed youth.

Gregory was able to grab three talented prospects in the draft in Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea. The trio had an encouraging Summer League performance and will likely be relied on back-to-backs in case a veteran is nursing an injury.

Jalen Green will be crucial in this regard. The 23-year-old plays nearly identical on a back-to-back compared to normal gaps between games. His efficiency from beyond the arc increases to above league average in games with zero days rest. The Rockets went 7-10 on back-to-backs last years, which was 14th in the league, and Green was a massive part of why it wasn’t worse.

The usual suspect of Devin Booker will need to continue playing at an All-NBA level for the team to have a chance. While the talent is worse compared to last year, the youth of next year’s roster is suited to handle the grind of back-to-backs and could help Phoenix pick up some extra wins.