Suns projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
Phoenix Suns starting small forward: Josh Okogie
Josh Okogie started 26 of 72 appearances last season. He primarily took over starting duties after the trade deadline wiped out Phoenix’s wing depth chart. The Suns have a couple other viable options here — Eric Gordon, for one — but Frank Vogel is expected to prioritize defense.
He’s listed at 6-foot-4, but Okogie’s 7-foot wingspan and remarkable core strength make him a highly versatile weapon on the defensive end. He can comfortably slide between 1-4 depending on the matchup and he was Phoenix’s primary answer to elite wing and guard scorers after Mikal Bridges’ departure.
There aren’t many players better at getting into a stance and shutting off a ball-handler at the point of attack. Okogie can fight over screens and hold up a mirror to opposing players, matching their every move with the ball and completely walling off lanes to the rim.
His mediocre 3-point numbers (32.5 percent last season) are a limiting factor, especially once the playoffs arrive. That said, he’s a bankable regular season player who will anchor Vogel’s perimeter defense.
Primary backup small forward: Yuta Watanabe
The Suns were able to sign Yuta Watanabe for the veteran minimum. The appeal here is pretty simple: at 6-foot-9, Watanabe hit 44.4 percent of his 3-point attempts last season. He is one of the best spot-up shooters in the NBA and he should have sustained utility for Phoenix as a result.
Watanabe can be too rigid to defend quicker players on the perimeter and he is by no means a source of self-creation on offense, but Phoenix has three of the best offensive players in the NBA running the show. Watanabe will give the defenses one more headache to overcome when trying to slow down whichever superstar has the ball.