On Thursday night, Terrence Ross faced his old team for the first time as a member of the Phoenix Suns. Although the game itself was close, it marked a tell-tale sign of just how drastically his surroundings have changed. As an 11-year NBA veteran who’d spent the last six years on Orlando Magic teams that only made the playoffs twice and never got out of the first round, Ross’ union with the Suns — fresh off a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant — represents an opportunity to contend rather than rebuild. “It’s fun, man, it feels different,” Ross said. “I just came from a group where there was a ton of young guys, not too many older guys in the…

The Phoenix Suns have officially entered the Kevin Durant era, and so now felt like a good time for another Suns Monthly Mailbag! From questions about Durant’s Suns debut to what Monty Williams’ rotation might look like to possible playoff matchups, there’s plenty of hoops-related content to dive into. But our readers were also curious about favorite movies, Marvel vs....

In a league increasingly driven by analytics and shot-tracking data, the NBA’s best shot profiles usually feature a higher concentration of shots at the rim and beyond the 3-point line. The Phoenix Suns, however, have been defying that prototypical contour for a few years now. One of the common misconceptions about “analytics” is that they stress layups, dunks and 3s...

The Phoenix Suns are in a unique position: They’re quite possibly the only NBA title contender that doesn’t have its starting five set in stone yet. Everyone knows that as soon as he’s healthy, Kevin Durant will assume his rightful place in the Suns’ starting lineup alongside Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. But who will claim that fifth starting spot now that Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson are officially out the door? Following a roller coaster trade deadline and buyout market, the Suns have several options to fill that last remaining slot. Torrey Craig has filled in for an injured Johnson and an absent Jae Crowder for most of the season. Josh Okogie has come on strong recently,…

As of Wednesday morning, Terrence Ross is officially the newest addition to the Phoenix Suns. The team had to wait for Ross to clear waivers from his buyout with the Orlando Magic, but as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski initially reported on Saturday, the 32-year-old wing planned to sign with the Suns. The Dallas Mavericks had emerged as an early frontrunner for his services, but after new owner Mat Ishbia and coach Monty Williams joined the pursuit, the prospect of playing with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant reportedly won him over. Williams said he talked to Ross about his time under coach Steve Clifford as a reference point for some of the things Phoenix does on defense, in addition to where he…

The 2023 NBA Trade Deadline is officially over, and the Phoenix Suns landed the biggest fish imaginable, making the biggest splash in franchise history — and arguably in NBA history as far as midseason deals are concerned. Kevin Durant is joining the Suns, along with T.J. Warren, while the Suns shipped out Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected first-round draft picks and swap rights to another first-rounder in 2028. Phoenix followed up that Wednesday night blockbuster with a depth move on Thursday, dealing Dario Saric and a second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for wing Darius Bazley, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. There are plenty of ripple effects to examine from the KD trade, but for now,…