2026 Suns offseason: How have Phoenix’s moves been viewed so far?

The NBA’s free agency period kicked off on Tuesday, but the Phoenix Suns were already slicing and dicing up this offseason by retaining talent and adding a long-sought-after player.

Taking into account the re-signings of Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin and Mark Williams, trade for Miles Bridges and addition of free agent Luke Kennard, the Suns’ 2026-27 roster may be nearing formation while the rest of the league is changing with each and every passing day.

The Ringer’s Michael Pina told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Thursday that he’s on board with all of Phoenix’s re-signings. On Bridges, the former Charlotte Hornet with a questionable off-the-court record, the senior writer said he is less certain the bulky, 6-foot-7 forward makes the Suns any better this upcoming season.

“They got a lot of team-friendly agreements here. Mark Williams at that price is kind of amazing if he can stay healthy,” Pina said. “Getting Luke Kennard … if he’s able to shoot the ball like he did last year, last couple years as a movement shooter, replacing Grayson Allen, smart little pickup there. And then Collin Gillespie’s deal, I was kind of shocked that came in at that number (four years, $48 million). I kind of compare it to the Trae Young contract, where it’s like, ‘Is Trae Young five times better than Collin Gillespie?’ No, I don’t think so.

“I think (Bridges) is overpaid. He has obviously quite a lot of off-court baggage to put it as kindly as I possibly could. … If you want Miles Bridges on your team, that’s fine. To give up an unprotected first round pick to acquire him and then have the right to extend him, it’s just not something that I would do, especially when Dillon Brooks here, who is critical last season in Phoenix and had a very good year, is also extension eligible.”

The projected starting five for Phoenix, as it stands on July 2, would likely be Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Brooks, Williams and Bridges.

Does Pina think this lineup, along with some bench pieces like Gillespie, Goodwin and Rasheer Fleming, is much of a leap from last season’s 45-win  and first-round playoff exit campaign?

“I think it’s possible that they are better, but … people need to understand that because of how the (NBA draft) lottery odds have been flattened (moving forward), there will be less outright tanking. And so, when you throw out win totals from the past, I think we should all be tempered with, ‘OK, there’s going to be more competitive basketball.’ So I think a lot of teams are going to see their win totals go down a little bit.

“But I think that Phoenix retaining who they did adding some shooting with Kennard was good. And I think that Devin Booker can play better than he did last year.”

The Western Conference landscape has yet to fall into place, but with LeBron James on the move, LaMelo Ball heading to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Utah Jazz full of young talent, including No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson, the Suns will be in for a new test.

Besides all of these aforementioned moves, Phoenix also picked up Jamaree Bouyea’s team option and drafted Arizona Wildcat forward Koa Peat at No. 30.

How will Luke Kennard fit into Suns’ system?

With the departure of 3-point shooters in Allen and Royce O’Neale in exchange for Bridges, it was imperative for Phoenix to fill some of that shooting void. It did so Tuesday by signing Kennard, the former Los Angeles Laker.

Kennard, who also played 46 games for the Atlanta Hawks last season, shot an NBA-best 47.8% from beyond the arc. He is a 44.2% 3 shooter across 10 seasons in the NBA.

Mychal Thompson, former Laker and current radio analyst for the purple and gold, told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke on Thursday the signing “shocked” him because of his 3-point superiority and what that meant for L.A. making the West Semifinals.

“He’s arguably the best 3-point shooter in the game,” Thompson said. “At least he was last year percentage-wise, and Luka (Doncic) said that he needs shooters around him.

“You cannot leave (Kennard) open, man. So if he’s on the floor with Devin Booker, you better not double Devin Booker and leave Luke Kennard open because that’s an automatic 3 bucket.”

Kennard wasn’t a volume shooter, however, only getting up 96 3s in his short stint (32 regular-season game) with the Lakers and making 43. Thompson said he pins that on Kennard being “too unselfish.”

“He should be looking to shoot as often as he can,” Thompson said. “He’s got a very quick release and he shoots with such high consistency. We always said on the air that he’s just too unselfish. He’s deferring too much. So when he’s there in Phoenix, I know if he’s on the court with Devin Booker, no matter who he’s on the court with, he’s going to be the best shooter on the floor.”

Related

The Suns are betting their credibility on Miles Bridges. They better be right.Suns GM: Miles Bridges will be held to high standard after ‘unacceptable conduct’Khaman Maluach earns most improved sophomore this Summer League by ESPN’s GolliverHow did former Arizona Wildcats, ASU Sun Devils and GCU ‘Lopes perform in NBA Summer League?Phoenix Suns’ offseason gets a B from The Athletic’s HallerSuns eliminated from Summer League playoff contention, play consolation game Saturday