Published for Suns fans — October 2026
By Toxlay Sports Editorial Team · Last updated October 19, 2026
The Club
The Phoenix Suns are the Valley’s eternal hope — and its eternal heartbreak. Founded in 1968, the Suns play at Mortgage Matchup Center in orange, purple and black, and they remain one of the great franchises still chasing a first championship. They’ve come close three times — the 1976 Finals against Boston, the 1993 Finals with Charles Barkley against Jordan’s Bulls, and the 2021 Finals run that had the Valley dreaming. Three trips, zero banners. “Rally The Valley” isn’t a slogan — it’s a way of life.
Last Season (2025-26): The Reset That Worked
Nobody believed in them — and that was the point. After trading Kevin Durant to Houston on July 6, 2025 (a seven-team blockbuster that brought back Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Khaman Maluach) and buying out Bradley Beal’s contract on July 16 (he signed with the Clippers), the Suns committed fully to Devin Booker — a two-year, $145 million extension, the richest annual extension in NBA history. The big three never won a single playoff game together. The new-look Suns did something better: they became a team. First-time head coach Jordan Ott built a defensive identity out of nothing — Phoenix climbed from 27th to 9th in defensive rating — and the Suns swung from 36-46 to 45-37, 7th in the West and 2nd in the Pacific, earning a playoff berth nobody predicted. The ride ended with a 4-0 sweep by the Thunder in round one, and Phoenix didn’t play on Christmas Day for the first time since 2021-22. But the culture is set now. That’s what this season is about proving.
Best Players Right Now (2026-27 Roster)
Devin Booker, 29, Guard (#15) — The franchise. All-time Suns leading scorer, five-time All-Star, 26.1 points and 6.0 assists a night last season — and a new number: he switched from No. 1 to No. 15 this summer to honor his father. Everything the Suns want to be runs through Book.
Jalen Green, 24, Guard (#4) — The centerpiece of the Durant return. Explosive 21-point-a-night scoring; the biggest question of the season is how his game fits next to Booker’s.
Dillon Brooks, 30, Forward (#3) — The tone-setter. Arrived in the Durant trade and instantly became the soul of Ott’s defense-first identity. Opponents hate playing against him. That’s the point.
Miles Bridges, 28, Forward (#22) — The summer splash. Acquired from Charlotte for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a 2033 first-rounder; adds scoring punch and size to a crowded wing rotation.
Khaman Maluach, 20, Center (#10) — The future at center. Last year’s No. 10 pick earned Summer League Second Team honors (19.5 points, 12.8 rebounds) and is expected to take a big Year 2 leap.
Collin Gillespie, 27, Guard (#12) — The steady hand. Re-signed this summer; a coach’s favorite who keeps the offense organized.
Luke Kennard, 30, Guard (#8) — The sniper. Led the NBA in three-point percentage a year ago; spacing is his superpower.
Jordan Goodwin, 27, Guard (#23) — Re-signed this summer. Energy, defense and hustle off the bench.
Ryan Dunn, 23, Forward (#0) — The second-year wing with real defensive upside; a development priority.
Oso Ighodaro, 24, Forward/Center (#11) — The connector big. Starts games at center while Mark Williams heals.
Mark Williams, 24, Center (#25) — Signed a three-year, $38 million deal to return — then tore the labrum in his left shoulder on September 11 and had surgery. Out several months. The Suns signed Duop Reath for depth behind Ighodaro and Maluach.
Head coach: Jordan Ott — Second season. Took a written-off roster to 45 wins and the playoffs in Year 1. Now the league knows what’s coming — Year 2 is the real test.
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Star Spotlight: Stories You Should Know
The end of the Big Three. Two seasons. Zero playoff wins. The Booker-Durant-Beal experiment is widely considered one of the most damaging moves in franchise history — a massive salary, a no-trade clause, and nothing to show for it. So Phoenix did the brave thing: Durant to Houston, Beal bought out to the Clippers, and the keys handed back to Booker with a $145 million vote of confidence. The twist? Both ex-Suns come back to the Valley this season — Durant returns November 7 with the Rockets, and Beal follows November 10 with the Clippers. Circle both.
Booker’s new chapter: No. 15. After a decade in No. 1 — the 2021 Finals run, the franchise scoring record, two Olympic golds — Booker surprised his father on Father’s Day by switching to No. 15, the number his dad wore. “I’ve been chasing 15 my whole career,” he said. The milestones keep coming: he passed Walter Davis for the franchise scoring record on February 3, 2025, cracked 17,000 career points against the Lakers last December, and buried a game-winning three to beat the Thunder in January. Eleven seasons, one team, one Valley. He’s already the greatest Sun ever — now he wants the banner.
The ghosts of ’93 and ’21. This franchise has felt the mountaintop twice and fallen both times: 1993, when Charles Barkley’s MVP season ended against Michael Jordan’s Bulls in the Finals; and 2021, when Booker and Chris Paul took a 2-0 Finals lead over Giannis’s Bucks and lost four straight. Add the 1976 Finals loss to Boston and the Nash-era “7 Seconds or Less” teams that never broke through, and you understand the Valley. Booker calls it “unfinished business.” Fifty-eight years and counting.
This Season (2026-27): Prove It Was Real
Vegas is skeptical: the win total sits at 38.5 (BetMGM), seven wins below last season, with title odds at +15000. The reasons are real — Mark Williams is out for months, the Booker-Green-Bridges-Brooks fit has real redundancy questions, and opponents won’t sneak up on Phoenix anymore after last year’s surprise. But the formula that worked is intact: Ott’s defensive system, Booker’s stardom, and a roster full of players with something to prove. The preseason was ugly (1-4), but last year’s team was counted out too. The play-in is the floor; the playoffs are the expectation. Anything less and the whispers start again.
Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Games to Watch
Wondering when the Suns play next? The Suns schedule opens with a gauntlet — here are the dates to circle, and grab your Suns tickets early:
- October 21 — at Portland Trail Blazers (10:00 PM ET, Moda Center): Season opener on the road against a playoff sleeper. First test of the new-look Valley.
- October 24 — vs Golden State Warriors (10:00 PM ET, NBA TV, home opener): The home crowd’s first look at Booker’s team — and Draymond Green returns after last season’s play-in ejection drama.
- October 26 — at Oklahoma City Thunder: First meeting since the Thunder swept Phoenix out of the playoffs. Statement opportunity, on the road.
- October 30 — vs Denver Nuggets (home, NBA Cup group play): First Cup action at Mortgage Matchup Center against the 2023 champs.
- November 7 — vs Houston Rockets (home): KEVIN DURANT RETURNS. The biggest regular-season night of the year in Phoenix. Expect boos, expect drama, expect a full house.
And don’t miss November 10 vs the LA Clippers — Bradley Beal’s return to the Valley, three nights after Durant’s.
Biggest Rivalries — The Wars
1. Los Angeles Lakers — THE Pacific war. The glamour rivalry: Nash vs. Kobe in the 2000s, the 2021 first-round upset, and now a new-look Lakers visiting November 15. The Valley never roots quietly against purple and gold.
2. Denver Nuggets — The 2023 second-round loss still stings; the Nuggets come to town October 30 for NBA Cup play, and Phoenix visits Ball Arena January 5 on national TV.
3. Golden State Warriors — Pacific Division blood, the home opener, and years of bad blood. October 24 sets the tone.
4. LA Clippers — Beal’s new team, and the other LA power in the division. November 10 is personal.
Frequently Asked Questions
When the Suns play the Rockets in 2026-27?
November 7 at home — Kevin Durant returns to Phoenix for the first time since the blockbuster trade. Circle it twice.
When the Suns play the Thunder in 2026-27?
October 26 in Oklahoma City — the first meeting since the Thunder swept Phoenix out of the playoffs.
Who are the best Suns players right now?
Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges, in Jordan Ott's defensive system.
Why did Devin Booker change his jersey number?
He switched from No. 1 to No. 15 this summer to honor his father — "I've been chasing 15 my whole career," he said.
Show Your Colors
Rally The Valley — at Mortgage Matchup Center or watching from home, true fans wear it. Gear up with quality fan sportswear — jerseys, tees and athletic wear built for real supporters:
Shop Fan Sportswear at Toxlay Sports →
Sources & official links: Phoenix Suns official site · Phoenix Suns tickets
Rally The Valley — unfinished business, and Booker’s leading the charge.
