The Buffalo Sabres are hoping to build on their success last season, and reach the postseason for the second straight year. That will require some of their young talent to fill the void left by the departure of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, and their core group continuing to play at a high level. Team captain Rasmus Dahlin persevered through personal adversity to score a career-high 74 points and led Buffalo to their first playoff appearance in 15 years, earning nominations for the Bill Masterton and Norris Trophies.
In their annual rankings of NHL players, The Athletic slotted Dahlin in the top tier, tied with Florida’s Aleksander Barkov, San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini, Boston’s David Pastrnak, and Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Hart Trophy winners Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon were ranked at the top of Tier 1, with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, and Norris winners Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar in the middle of Tier 1.
Other Sabres listed were center Tage Thompson (Tier 3B), wingers Zach Benson (Tier 5A), Josh Doan (5B), defensemen Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson (Tier 5C). Former Sabres also listed were Cup winners Jack Eichel (Tier 2A), Sam Reinhart (Tier 3A), and Ryan O’Reilly (Tier 5A).
Former Sabres Tuch and Byram were each listed in Tier 5, as players who offer “strong support to a contending or championship core, but who wouldn’t be an integral piece within it”. Tuch was the highest paid unrestricted free agent, signing at $10.5 million AAV by Washington in July, while Byram was made the highest paid NHL defenseman by Chicago until Makar’s $20.4 million AAV eight-year extension last week.
Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani reacts after taking a strike against the Cardinals on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has not played since Wednesday, when he struck out four times and winced noticeably at the plate.
On Saturday, the Dodgers held him out of the lineup for the third consecutive game because of pain in his right biceps.
Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani’s path back to the field is predicated on how he responds to hitting in the cage, which he planned to do before Saturday night’s game against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium.
“My expectation is that he’s going to hit today in the cage,” Roberts told reporters. “Once he hits and how he comes out of it, that’ll be telling for tomorrow.”
The injured list becomes a consideration if Ohtani is not trending in a positive direction Sunday, Roberts said.
Ohtani falls under the 15-day category for the IL, which covers pitchers and two-way players, as opposed to the 10-day list for position players. The Dodgers can backdate the move up to three days, akin to time served. So a 15-day window would be reduced to 12 days.
Although Roberts said he has not spoken to Ohtani about how he feels physically, the manager said he can get a hint from the player’s demeanor.
“When he doesn’t feel well physically, he gets more short and he’s not the same personality,” Roberts said, adding that Ohtani has seemed looser and more easygoing the past couple of days.
DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 15: Anthony Kay #18 of the Chicago White Sox tosses a warm-up pitch against the Detroit Tigers during the third inning at Comerica Park on August 15, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch: 6:10 pm CDT TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy
What we will call The Math is finally catching up with what we have been calling The Vibe. The Twins, with two September series against the Chicago White Sox loosely circled on the calendar, watched those games progress from “significant” to “crucial” to “literally have to double-sweep to have a shot.” Now losers of three of the first four, it’s clear the 2026 season will not end with a miraculous 6-0 run against the division leaders, catapulting the team back into contention; instead, Minnesota’s performance against a playoff contender is confirming most criticisms against the team, and is calling into question whether a .500 record is still even a reasonable goal.
On that delightful note, there is still baseball to be played! Today, even. And the Minnesota Twins, for all their flaws, will be competing. Moreover, we’ve reached the point in the season where game previews devolve into the purest form of fact. Baseball, today! Your team, involved. Surely you needed this confirmation despite the schedule remaining mostly the same for over a hundred years
The Twins are chucking Taj Bradley out there, whose last few starts and final 2026 line will be one of the more interesting storylines to close out the campaign. A three-headed monster of a healthy Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, and Bradley could transform next year’s starting rotation, but the health hypothetical feels like a Twins trademark at this point. For now, it’s a healthy Bradley alone on the mound and practically alone in the rotation, tasked with evening the series on the South Side.
Chicago turns to lefty Anthony Kay, who’s been in Japan for the last two years and is in the AL Central for the first time in his pro career. He held the Twins to one run across six innings in a 3-1 White Sox victory back in May, the only time he’s faced Minnesota in his professional career.
Sep 4, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger (21) runs the bases on his grand slam against the Tampa Bay Rays during the seventh inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 19: Angel Martínez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians singles on a ground ball to second base in the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Progressive Field on August 19, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sep 4, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (right) celebrates his solo home run with center fielder Max Clark (15) in the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Detroit Tigers (64-77) vs. Cleveland Guardians (72-70)
Time/Place: 6:10 p.m., Progressive Field SB Nation Site:Covering the Corner Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (8-10, 4.36 ERA) vs. LHP Parker Messick (11-8, 2.46 ERA)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 26: Dustin May #21 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws the first pitch of a game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 26, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a back-and-forth game last night, the Brewers are back in action as they continue their push to the playoffs. They can cut the division magic number down to 12 with a win in tonight’s game.
Dustin May is on the mound and looking for a bounce-back game. After two strong starts to begin his Brewers’ career, he’s had three outings to forget. His last one was 4 1/3 innings against the Rangers; he allowed four runs on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts. He faced the Reds back on July 24 with the Cardinals and allowed just one run in six innings with eight strikeouts. In his five Brewers’ starts, he has a 6.41 ERA and 5.43 FIP in 19 2/3 innings. Overall this season, he has a 4.69 ERA and 3.49 FIP.
For the Reds, Andrew Abbott makes the start. He’s been having a rough season, posting a 4.49 ERA and 4.80 FIP in 148 1/3 innings over 28 starts. The Brewers faced him back on July 1, and he allowed two runs on five hits and five walks in five innings with three strikeouts. This is his 10th career start against the Brewers. Over his previous nine starts (50 2/3 innings), he has a 3.73 ERA.
The Brewers are shifting around their lineup with the lefty on the mound. Jackson Chourio bats leadoff with Luis Lara behind him and William Contreras batting third as the DH. Andrew Vaughn and Garrett Mitchell bat fourth and fifth, and Joey Ortiz moves up to sixth in the lineup. Cooper Pratt, Gary Sánchez, and David Hamilton round out the lineup.
First pitch is at 5:40 p.m. It will be on Brewers.TV and the Brewers Radio Network.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 04: Carlos Jorge #38 of the Cincinnati Reds during his first at bat in his MLB debut against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park on September 04, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers do not do very many things poorly. With 88 wins to their credit already in the 2026 regular season, they have logged 4 more wins than any other club in the sport, and they’ve done so with a precision-blend of talent evaluation and development.
Quite frankly, they’re the model franchise for every other MLB club out there.
If there’s one thing they may regret, though, it’s the acquisition at the trade deadline of one Dustin May. So far, he’s been shelled for 14 ER in just 19.2 IP for them since coming over from the St. Louis Cardinals, though perhaps the latter is all they really got him for anyway. They don’t need him for the postseason, they just need him to keep as many innings off the other arms they’ve got to get them there.
May will start for the Beers on Saturday night in Great American Ball Park as the Cincinnati Reds once again play host to their division ‘rivals’ even though said rivalry has been hilariously one-sided for quite some time. Andrew Abbott will start for Cincinnati looking to reverse course on his own awful run of form – he’s pitched to a 6.89 ERA with 24 ER in 31.1 IP since the start of August.
First pitch is set for 6:40 PM ET. Here’s how both clubs will line up to start:
There are clear stakes tied to the results of the litigation: If Jeanie is able to block her siblings’ attempted sale, she’d maintain the ownership stakes of the Lakers that are required for her to remain the franchise’s governor for at least the next four years, which was a part of the deal she had with Walter when her family sold the team.
But if the siblings are able to go through with the sale, Jeanie wouldn’t be able to stay on as the Lakers’ governor because the league requires a governor to have an ownership stake of at least 15% in the franchise.
And that’s without even adding the context of a source close to the NBA telling The Post’s Charles Gasparino that Kushner will be the Lakers’ governor once he and Iger’s purchase is official, with Kushner being expected to have the largest shares of the Lakers.
But when it comes to Jeanie Buss, her options to maintain her role as Lakers governor appear to be narrow.
The Athletic first reported that Buss would be open to acquiring other ownership stakes to reach the 15% threshold to remain governor.
Josh Kushner and Bob Iger are set to be the Lakers’ new co-owners. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
But as detailed in the 97-page petition Buss’ lawyers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last week looking to block her siblings’ attempted sale of their minority ownership stake of the franchise, it was made clear that while a couple of the Lakers’ other minority owners support Buss staying as governor, they also don’t intend to sell their shares.
“[Patrick] Soon-Shiong and [Ed] Roski [Jr.] have made the determination, as has Jeanie, that the value of Lakers stock will continue to increase over the value of the stock in the current proposed offer for the purchase by a group led by Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner of Lakers stock owned by Mark Walter,” the petition states. “And, for that reason, they have no intent to sell their Lakers stock at this time.
“They also believe that Jeanie is the right person to continue as the Controlling Owner and NBA Governor of the Lakers to help preserve and continue to grow the value of their Lakers stock investments.”
ESPN first reported Soon-Shiong’s desire to keep his 4% stake of the Lakers. And with Roski, who owns about 3% of the franchise, also looking to maintain his ownership of the Lakers, that’s around 7% of the franchise that won’t be available for Buss to purchase.
Pharmaceuticals billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is one of the Lakers’ minority owners who doesn’t intend to sell their shares of the franchise. AP
Could her siblings sell their shares to her?
Yes, it’s technically possible but also realistically improbable.
For one, would Buss’ siblings be willing to do business with her after the acrimony over the last decade-plus — which included Joey and Jesse Buss being fired from their front office positions less than a year ago, and Jeanie firing Jim as the Lakers’ executive vice president of basketball operations in 2017?
And even if her siblings were willing to sell their ownership stakes to her, would Buss have the financial backing to make that kind of purchase, especially in light of the franchise’s growing valuation?
The answers to both questions make it unlikely the sides would strike a deal.
All of which limits Buss’ options to remain Lakers governor.
And puts more attention back on the litigation with her siblings.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble is entering an important season in 2026-27. The 24-year-old blueliner will be in the final season of his two-year, $2.825 million and a pending restricted free agent because of it.
With Struble entering a contract year, it is crucial for him to have a strong season for the Canadiens. If he does, it will help his chances of sticking around on the Canadiens' roster beyond this campaign.
It is no secret that Struble is one of the defensemen on the Canadiens' roster who is fighting to cement himself as a regular in their lineup. Due to this, if he struggles this season, it will only create more questions about his future in Montreal.
With that, there is no question that Struble is a player who Habs fans should be keeping an eye on this season. When noting that he is only 171 games and three seasons into his NHL career, he has the potential to hit a new level for Montreal. It will be intriguing to see if he can do just that in what feels like a make-or-break campaign for him.
In 59 games last season for Montreal, Struble posted two goals, 10 assists, 12 points, 115 hits, a plus-4 rating.
The clock is officially ticking on the Dodgers to make a decision with Shohei Ohtani.
For a third straight game, the two-way star was out of the team’s lineup on Saturday as he continues to battle injuries to his left knee and right biceps — marking the first time in his Dodgers career that Ohtani hasn’t been in the lineup that long.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani looks on during the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday, September 5, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Under MLB rules, injured list stints can be retroactively backdated by up to three days. That means, if Ohtani isn’t ready to play by Sunday, the Dodgers could put him on the IL and count these past three days as part of the minimum time he will be forced to miss.
For now, it has yet to be decided what will be next for the four-time MVP.
Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani was set to hit in the batting cages on Saturday, and that the team would monitor how he feels afterward.
If all went well, Roberts said it was possible Ohtani could be back in the lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Nationals.
If not, however, the club will be left with a significantly trickier decision about how to manage him.
Because Ohtani is classified as a two-way player, he would be subject to an absence of at least 15 days if he were placed on the injured list, as opposed to the 10-day minimum stint that applies to normal position players.
Roberts acknowledged that would be “more of a deterrent” to making such a move with Ohtani. Even if he were to be put on the IL on Sunday, he wouldn’t be able to return until Sept. 18, at which point there will only be nine games remaining in their regular-season schedule.
“To not lose him for 15 days is meaningful,” Roberts said.
Roberts also added that, instead of the IL, the Dodgers could continue to rest Ohtani while keeping him on the active roster over the coming week, so long as “he’s trending in the right dircetion.”
Rushing’s uncertain status could now also factor into the Dodgers’ overall roster decisions.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani leaves the field after a win against the Washington Nationals on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
To this point, the Dodgers haven’t placed Ohtani on the injured list for two primary reasons.
First, he has been playing through his injuries for much of the year and didn’t appear to be impacted until a 6-for-46 stretch over his last 12 games; a slump that was punctuated by a four-strikeout performance on Wednesday in which Ohtani showed visible pain after swings during his final at-bat. To this point, the team’s contention has been that his ailments aren’t severe enough to keep him from potentially playing in the next couple weeks.
Second is uncertainty about whether even a more extended break on the IL would get Ohtani back to 100% physically. After all, his injuries have lingered long enough that they are likely to remain issues over the remainder of the year. If his health isn’t certain to significantly improve, there might still be benefit in giving him the extra time to keep playing as he tries to rediscover his swing.
For now, the Dodgers’ main priority is making sure Ohtani’s condition doesn’t get worse, which is why Roberts has continued to describe his status as day-to-day.
For a third straight day, that meant keeping Ohtani out of the lineup.
When he might return remains to be seen.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - AUGUST 18: Braxton Ashcraft (35) of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch during the MLB game against the Detroit Tigers on August 18, 2026 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Los Angeles Angels vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, September 5, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET
Location: PNC Park – Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: 93.7 The Fan (KDKA-FM), SportsNet Pittsburgh / MLB.TV
Konnor Griffin’s effect was immediately felt in his return on Friday. Griffin scored from first on a double down the right field line by Jake Mangum. It was a play only a handful of players in baseball could make, and manager Don Kelly said Griffin may be the only one with the speed to score on the play. It’s all the offense Pittsburgh needed in the 1-0 victory.
The Pirates (70-72) have won seven of their last 10 games and are looking to win the sixth of their last seven series, attempting to crawl back in the wild card race. Braxton Ashcraft has pitched at least five innings over his last seven starts and has found a second half groove following a very difficult July.
Ashcraft earned a 2.13 ERA in six starts this August with 29 strikeouts compared to five walks over 38 innings. He has been the Pirates’ most consistent starter and ranks tied for fifth in baseball in wins (14). Will his success continue against Los Angeles?
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 15: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox in action during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on August 15, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox enter tonight’s game against the Orioles with a 77-65 record, 12 games above .500. Sonny Gray, who hasn’t pitched in ten days, also enters tonight 12 games above .500 with a personal record of 16-4. It’s probably a bit strong to say the Red Sox would be a .500 team without Gray, but boy has he been a necessity in their success.
So while the Red Sox strong starting pitching has been a group effort all season, Gray is the guy who, if you had to pick one, is the biggest engine behind it. He’s the guy who’s been the most consistent, the guy who hasn’t gone on the IL, and the guy who until this most recent turn in the rotation, hasn’t really had any restrictions.
For all these reasons, Gray can be considered the high card in the Red Sox’ hand, if not their all out ace. So it should come as no surprise that the Red Sox, for better or worse, have already lined him up to start Game 1 of a likely Wild Card Series on September 29th. If you simply plot forward every fifth game the Red Sox play from tonight (with off days slated for September 10th, 14th, 21st and [if they make the playoffs] 28th) Gray is set to throw on on the 5th (tonight), 11th, 17th, 23rd, and 29th.
So with this being the first game in the runup to the momentous end of the month, it takes on a little extra meaning and comes with a bunch of questions. How will Gray look after the benefit of extra rest? (He hasn’t pitched since August 26th against the Marlins.) Does he remain the right guy for this job? How deep will the Red Sox allow him to go? Do they keep him on a limit trying to save some gas in the tank, or do they let him go a little longer given the extra rest and the bullpen being used rather heavily the last two games in back to back one run wins?
No matter how you slice it, Gray is the lead headline for tonight, but there’s other noteworthy items in the lineup below. They include: Ceddanne Rafaela getting another day off as he nurses some quad soreness (Eli White will start in centerfield), Adley Rutschman getting a day off against his former club (Wong starting at catcher), and Caleb Durbin getting a much needed day off, which leads to an interesting domino effect were Nick Sogard is starting at third, Isiah Kiner-Falefa at second, and Trevor Story at short and batting clean up. I can’t say I love putting Story’s defense at short of Kiner-Falefa’s, but I suppose we’ll have to wait and see how it plays out before getting too outraged.
Today’s Lineups
RED SOX
ORIOLES
Roman Anthony – DH
Jackson Holliday – DH
Mickey Gasper – 1B
Blaze Alexander – 2B
Wilyer Abreu – RF
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Trevor Story – SS
Pete Alonso – 1B
Nick Sogard – 3B
Samuel Basallo – C
Isiah Kiner-Falefa – 2B
Heston Kjerstad – RF
Jarren Duran – LF
Christian Encarnacion-Strand – 3B
Eli White – CF
Dylan Beavers – LF
Connor Wong – C
Colton Cowser – CF
Sonny Gray – RHP
Chris Bassitt – RHP
⚾️ First Pitch: 7:05pm — Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 12: Rasheer Fleming #20 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on April 12, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
SunsRank continues as we look at the Phoenix Suns roster in its entirety and try to determine the team’s hierarchy. It is an exercise I always enjoy because it captures exactly how we feel at a specific point in time. Right now, that point is September. Hope is still alive. Possibility is everywhere. We can talk ourselves into players, rotations, roles, and outcomes before reality gets its filthy little hands on everything.
Then we do this again at the end of the season and see how much has changed. Players change. We change. Expectations change. Perceptions change. Right now, we are full of hope. Based on our experiences with the Phoenix Suns, there is a decent chance we will end the season carrying some level of disappointment. Watching that curve develop is always interesting. Who rose? Who fell? Who surprised us? Who was responsible for the shift?
In our last installment, we dealt with the Depth Pieces. Based on the voting, here is where we currently stand.
#
2025-26 SunRank
Community SunsRank
Writers SunsRank
15
Koby Brea
Pat Spencer
Jamaree Bouyea
16
Amir Coffey
Jamaree Bouyea
Pat Spencer
17
Isaiah Livers
CJ Huntley
CJ Huntley
18
CJ Huntley
Koby Brea
Koby Brea
There are a couple of interesting things you can take away from both the community rankings and the writers’ rankings. The first is that the writers value Jamaree Bouyea more than the community does. Perhaps that’s the shine of a new toy that Pat Spencer brings, knowing he possesses a defensive mentality that makes him a little more appealing to the community.
What I find more interesting, though, is that Koby Brea ranks 18th overall. In one summer, he dropped from 15th to 18th. That’s understandable considering two players are no longer on the team, but he was also jumped by CJ Huntley, who finished 18th in SunsRank at the end of last season. Perhaps that’s a result of the unimpressive Summer League Brea had in Las Vegas. Across five games and 26.1 minutes per game, he averaged 7.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. More concerning was the shooting, as he hit 30% from the field and 28.6% from beyond the arc.
For someone whose superpower is supposed to be shooting, that certainly wasn’t encouraging, and it most likely played into why both the community and the writers have him slotted last in the preseason SunsRank.
Now it is time to rank the Wild Cards. These are the players who could become more important than expected. There is no guarantee they carve out a major role, but there is enough intrigue, talent, or opportunity for them to surprise us and force their way into the rotation. These are the fringe guys carrying a little bit of hope with them. And where there is hope, there is possibility.
So let us continue the SunsRank journey and meet the Wild Cards, based on your previous voting and who ultimately landed in this tier.
The Wild Cards
Haywood Highsmith
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
7
13.0
5.4
1.9
1.0
0.6
52.2%
57.1%
85.7%
117.8
116.1
+10
Highsmith is a true wild card because we still don’t really know what he can bring or where his health currently stands. After undergoing surgery in August 2025 to repair a meniscal tear in his right knee, he played only seven games with the Suns last season.
There’s optimism that the three-and-D wing can make an impact, but so much of that depends on whether he can stay healthy.
Khaman Maluach
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
BLK
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
46
8.9
3.0
2.9
0.1
0.7
53.3%
23.8%
71.0%
106.0
103.5
+47
It’s funny because when I look back at the stat line and see that Maluach played 46 games last season, it doesn’t really feel like he did. The hope is that he gets much more run this season, and the expectation is that he should. The second-year center, who turns 20 in less than 10 days, is expected to be an integral part of the Suns’ future.
Unlike Koby Brea, Maluach had a stellar Summer League and absolutely dominated. In 27.4 minutes per game, he averaged 19.5 points and 12.8 rebounds while shooting 40% from three. He was a force. But that was Summer League. What he does next, and how much opportunity he receives this season, will be one of the more interesting storylines to follow.
Koa Peat
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
36
27.8
14.1
5.6
2.6
0.6
52.8%
35.0%
62.3%
119.5
100.7
We spent all last season wondering how the hell the Suns were going to navigate not having a first-round pick, and Brian Gregory worked his magic to sneak into the back end of the first round and select Koa Peat, the local kid who went to high school in Phoenix and played at the University of Arizona.
Peat had a productive Summer League, averaging 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 51% from the field in Las Vegas. It gave us a glimpse of what he could potentially become: someone who is confident with the ball in his hands and has no problem attacking the rim. It was an impressive summer for the 19-year-old.
How much playing time he gets this season remains to be seen, and that will depend on a multitude of factors, including team health and scheme.
Luke Kennard
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
78
21.5
8.4
2.3
2.2
0.7
53.3%
47.8%
91.3%
114.2
113.7
+41
The Suns lost shooting when they traded away Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, but the outgoing salary in the Miles Bridges deal opened the door for Phoenix to enter free agency and replace some of it. What they found was one of the best three-point shooters in the league.
Kennard shot 47.8% from beyond the arc last season. The challenge with him has always been volume. He doesn’t take nearly as many threes as O’Neale or Allen did, and that will probably have to change in Phoenix, especially considering how much this team will need help from deep. But if shooting is what you need, there are few players better equipped to provide it than Luke Kennard.
Rasheer Fleming
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
55
12.2
4.3
2.3
0.3
0.4
40.5%
34.6%
55.9%
112.7
106.6
+97
The second year forward out of Saint Joseph’s enters the season with high expectations after being productive in the limited opportunities he received as a rookie. Yes, the stat sheet says 55 games played, but his 12.2 minutes per game show that the Suns didn’t use him as often as some might have wanted.
You would think Fleming enters this season as the second option on the depth chart, but until the games are played, we don’t really know how much opportunity he’s going to get. Then it becomes about what he does with it. Can he continue to be a quality defender? Can he become a knockdown shooter from beyond the arc? There are plenty of things he already does well. Does his game grow or plateau?
Ryan Dunn
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
70
19.4
5.8
4.2
1.5
0.9
45.3%
33.1%
48.9%
110.4
108.7
+4
Ryan Dunn enters the season as one of the more interesting players on this roster. Why? He’ll make $2.9 million this year, but Phoenix holds a $5 million team option for next season. With extensions continuing to come due and roster decisions needing to be made, Dunn’s contract could become expendable if he doesn’t prove his value.
There wasn’t a major jump from Year 1 to Year 2, so the hope is that his third season finally brings the productivity and two-way impact the Suns envisioned when they drafted him in the first round out of Virginia.
Ready to rank these Wild Cards? Rank them as you see fit, and let us know in the comments below why you put each player where you did.
