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Three key factors in Suns’ season-opener vs. Kings

Originally posted on Burn City Sports | By Connor Moreno | Last updated Oct 22, 2025 8:08 PM ET

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns are finally back and are kick-starting a new era under first-year head coach Jordan Ott against the Sacramento Kings.

Following the departures of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, the goal isn’t about a championship. It’s about building a culture that sets the Suns up for sustained winning in the future.

Mat Ishbia and Phoenix’s front office are tasked with a tougher job, though, balancing that mindset with the dwindling prime years of all-time scoring leader and franchise cornerstone Devin Booker.

All things considered, though, the 2025-26 season is a good start. The Suns already have an identity, cultivated by the villainy of newly-acquired wing Dillon Brooks. And their trajectory is looking promising behind the youth of Jalen Green, Ryan Dunn, Khaman Maluach and Mark Williams, should he stay healthy.

With that being said, let’s dive into the three key factors to watch in Phoenix’s season opener against Sacramento tonight.

1. How the Suns look under Jordan Ott

When it’s all said and done, hiring Jordan Ott may be one of the best moves of the Mat Ishbia ownership tenure. Ott backs a modern, analytically driven system with a stoic and calm disposition.

It may be Ott’s first time leading a basketball team, but you wouldn’t be able tell by how calm and confident he is early in his first season.

Suns fans can look forward to the team moving away from the isolation-heavy offense they’ve been used to over the course of the last few seasons. Ott focuses on on- and off-ball movement that generates quality looks every possession.

2. Phoenix’s defensive identity

As referenced above, Phoenix has already established a gritty defensive identity, spearheaded by the polarizing play of Brooks. The team’s roster makeup raises its defensive floor from the jump.

Staunch with two-way wings and forwards, and under the guise of Ott’s defensive philosophies, there will rarely be a game where the Suns aren’t competing on defense.

Aside from Brooks, look towards Ryan Dunn, Collin Gillespie, Maluach and Rasheer Fleming as young players who will excite on the defensive end.

3. Devin Booker due or a scoring outburst?

Not only are Durant and Beal out of town, Green will be missing the season opener with a right hamstring strain. Admittedly, the Suns will leave much to be desired in terms of simply getting a bucket offensively.

That’s where Booker has and will step in. The 11-year veteran is going likely to have one of the highest usage rates of his career. Not only will he be Phoenix’s go-to scorer, he’ll also be tasked with running point guard at the same rate he has since the Chris Paul days.

Booker will be handling the ball more than anyone, look for him to start the season with a bang against the Kings.

The national media may be low on the Suns, but Phoenix has more of an interesting trajectory than many talking heads are giving the credit for.

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This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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