Phoenix Suns Preview - NBA Team Previews 2022-23

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Published on October 4, 2022

2022-23 Phoenix Suns Team Preview

Phoenix's offseason was filled with drama. Deandre Ayton -- seemingly against his will -- was retained by the Suns after the organization matched an offer sheet by the Pacers. Jae Crowder wants a trade and isn't coming to camp. Plus, Robert Sarver is selling the team following a one-year suspension by Adam Silver. On a positive note, franchise cornerstone Devin Booker inked a four-year supermax extension with the team.

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2021-22 Record: 64-18; lost in Western Conference Semifinals

2022-23 NBA Win Total Odds: 52.5 wins (DraftKings)

2022-23 NBA Title Odds: +1200 (DraftKings)

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Check out our 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball Projections, customizable for your league settings.

Phoenix Suns Fantasy Basketball Preview

Devin Booker

Booker is coming off his third straight All-Star appearance and first All-NBA selection (First Team). The Suns have leaned on Booker his entire career, and he's delivered as one of the most consistent shooting guards over the past four years. He was ninth in usage rate last year (32.0%), and he has the sixth-highest usage rate of all active NBA players (30.1%). Last season, in 34.5 minutes per game, he averaged career highs in points (26.8), rebounds (5.0) and steals (1.1). He also added 4.8 assists and matched his career high for made threes per game (2.7). For fantasy managers playing in nine-category leagues, it's also noteworthy that Booker is learning to cut down on his turnovers. After averaging 3.5 giveaways in the prior five seasons, Booker handed the ball over just 2.4 times per game last year. As Chris Paul ages, Booker will likely take on more responsibilities, and he has room to improve since he's just 25 years old. Whether that manifests in more points or assists is unclear at this point, but we should see more from Booker this year than last. He ranked 21st in per-game fantasy production during 2021-22 - his fourth time in the top 25. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable taking him in the mid-to-late second round, given his high floor and room for growth.

Chris Paul

Although Paul was 36 years old during the 2021-22 regular season, he didn't show many signs of slowing down and reiterated after the season that he has no plans to retire. His 10.8 assists per game marked his highest total since the 2008-09 season and ranked first in the NBA last year, but he averaged a career-low 14.7 points while seeing a slight decrease on the boards with 4.4 rebounds in 32.9 minutes per game. Paul's efficiency from long distance dropped last year, as he shot just 31.7 percent from three-point range -- his lowest rate since his rookie season. He started the first 58 games of the season before missing just under a month due to a thumb injury. Paul's absence likely alleviated some workload concerns down the stretch, and it was encouraging to see the veteran beat his return timetable of 6-to-8 weeks. He may see a few more rest days during his age-37 season, especially considering that he's played at least 65 games each of the last three years. However, Paul proved last season that he can handle 30-plus minutes on a nightly basis. As long as he can hold off Father Time for another year, Paul is an early-round option who should have the opportunity to provide consistent fantasy production again during the 2022-23 season.

Deandre Ayton

Ayton entered restricted free agency with lukewarm interest from clubs around the league before eventually receiving a max offer from the Pacers. His tumultuous offseason ended when the Suns elected to match the four-year, $133 million offer to keep the big man in the desert. Ayton's traditional center style of playing almost exclusively around the rim doesn't have quite the same draw as it once did. However, what he does, he does very well. Ayton connected on a career-best 63.4 percent of his shots from the field and averaged a double-double for a fourth consecutive campaign. Ayton's efficiency (65.6 TS%) and ability on the boards present his primary contributions from a fantasy standpoint, but he's also cut down on his turnovers and shot well enough from the free-throw line (74.6 percent) not to hurt fantasy managers in those areas. On the downside, Ayton attempted just 19 threes last season (seven makes), averaged just 1.4 assists and wasn't exactly a rim protector either, tallying just 0.7 swats per contest. While the Suns' financial investment should guarantee big minutes for Ayton, he only excels in two categories -- rebounds and field goal percentage. His limited spectrum of fantasy offerings leads to a fantasy value tumbling into the middle rounds in most standard formats.

Mikal Bridges

Bridges can sometimes be overlooked in the Suns' rotation that includes Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. Still, Bridges proved once again last season that he can provide reliable fantasy results. Durability wasn't a concern for the 25-year-old last year, as he appeared in all 82 games, marking the second time he's done so over four seasons in the NBA. He also averaged a career-high 34.8 minutes per game -- the highest mark on the team. After shooting 42.5 percent from beyond the arc during the 2020-21 campaign, Bridges regressed slightly last season, converting 36.9 percent of his attempts from three-point range. However, he was still efficient from the floor overall, draining 53.4 percent of his field-goal attempts despite attempting a career-high 10.5 field goals per game. As a result, the 2018 first-rounder averaged a career-high 14.2 points to go with 4.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Bridges cooled off slightly during the postseason last year, but he was consistently productive during the regular season. Bridges is among the top three-and-D options in the league and should have ample opportunities to contribute during the 2022-23 season.

Cameron Johnson

Johnson made meaningful strides last season as a third-year pro, though he's already 26 years old. The Suns utilized Johnson in a sixth-man role, reaching career highs nearly across the board with 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 26.2 minutes per game. His 2.5 threes on 42.5 percent shooting from deep also represented career-best marks. He combined that with good efficiency from the field (46 percent) and the charity stripe (86.0 percent) to earn himself the league's 15th-best true shooting percentage (62.5 percent). The efficiency marks contributed to the North Carolina product ranking 126th in per-game fantasy production, making him a solid bench staple in standard formats. Johnson also advanced as a self-creator, notably when generating shots at the rim. As a sophomore, only 21 percent of his shots at the rim were unassisted. Last year, it increased to 39 percent - a meaningful bump. That said, there's only so much the Suns will ask Johnson to create for himself or others given how often Chris Paul and Devin Booker handle the ball. Johnson should continue to develop and improve and is slated for a starting role with Jae Crowder likely headed out of town. However, fantasy managers shouldn't expect a significant bump in usage. He's a decent option at the end of most standard fantasy leagues, especially if you're looking for three-pointers. However, his upside remains relatively low given the team around him.

Phoenix Suns Depth Chart for 2022-23

Click ahead for a detailed Phoenix Suns Depth Chart.

Phoenix Suns Predictions for 2022-23

Given the minimal roster turnover since the Suns went to the NBA Finals two years ago, they should still be considered contenders. However, Deandre Ayton's clear unhappiness and Jae Crowder asking for a trade raises questions about team chemistry. Chris Paul isn't getting any younger. Plus, there are plenty of teams around the league, not just the West, that have improved while the Suns have remained stagnant.

Record Prediction

54-28
3-seed
Loses in Western Conference Semifinals

Bold Call

Deandre Ayton is traded at the deadline.

NBA Award Contenders

Devin Booker, NBA MVP Odds (+3000)
Chris Paul, MVP (+9000)
Mikal Bridges, NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds (+1500)
Cameron Johnson, NBA Most Improved Player Odds (+5000, FanDuel)
Cameron Johnson, Sixth Man of the Year Odds (+2500)
Deandre Ayton, Most Improved Player (+6500)