PHOENIX – Entering the 2026-27 NBA Media Day with an urgency to showcase the next installment of the newest era of Phoenix Suns basketball, they included a message that extended far beyond the upcoming season. Suns Owner Mat Ishbia and General Manager Brian Gregory are betting on continuity.
Phoenix owner Mat Ishbia speaks with the press during a news conference at Footprint Center in Phoenix on May 1, 2024. © Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
Jalen Green speaking about @Suns GM Brian Gregory’s philosophy of building an identity year-by-year.#NBA #PhoenixSuns pic.twitter.com/Y6OfY3Ndzb
— Ben Bliklen (@benbliklen) September 28, 2026
After years of roster and organizational changes, Phoenix is bringing back 12 of its 15 players while maintaining continuity throughout the coaching and training staffs. The goal isn’t simply to keep familiar faces around. It’s to create something the Suns believe can become difficult for opponents to replicate: trust, communication, and a shared identity. The organization has already emphasized how important chemistry and camaraderie are to its culture. Phoenix’s veterans have also embraced opportunities to support its younger players, including Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, and Koa Peat, who are benefiting greatly from these relationships.
Koa Peat (left) with GM Brian Gregory during an introductory press conference at the Verizon 5G Performance Center, in Phoenix, on June 26, 2026. © Mark Henle/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Now, the Suns want that culture to translate to the court. That’s why the development of their young core matters so much. Phoenix doesn’t need its young players to immediately become stars. It needs them to become reliable pieces who understand how the team wants to play. Maluach, in particular, could have an expanded opportunity following Mark Williams’ injury, while Peat and Fleming provide additional athleticism and versatility. Ishbia’s comments about the future of the roster also revealed the organization’s philosophy. Phoenix surrendered a future first-round pick in the Miles Bridges trade, but the owner made it clear the Suns aren’t focused on endlessly collecting future assets.
Feb 22, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix center Khaman Maluach (10) and forward Rasheer Fleming (20) against the Portland Trail Blazers at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
That doesn’t mean abandoning the future; it means believing the future can be built through the players already in the building. Phoenix isn’t trying to discover its identity anymore; it’s trying to strengthen one. The challenge now is turning continuity into results. If communication becomes trust, trust becomes chemistry, and chemistry becomes consistent execution, the Suns could finally have something more valuable than another roster overhaul: a team that knows exactly who it is.
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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen
