“Suns Reacts Survey Sparks Debate: Who Deserves the Starting Power Forward Spot in 2025‑26?“
The Phoenix Suns’ offseason has brought seismic changes—including the departure of Kevin Durant and the addition of Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams, and Khaman Maluach—leaving the starting power forward spot wide open and sparking a heated fan discussion.
SB Nation’s Suns Reacts Survey has zeroed in on this very question: Should the Suns opt for youthful energy and upside with Ryan Dunn, or veteran stability and shooting with Royce O’Neale? Additional long-shot possibilities—Rasheer Fleming, Nigel Hayes-Davis, or experimental big‑lineups—also cropped up, keeping the debate lively.
The Suns’ 31st pick offers length (6’9” with 7’5” wingspan), a smooth shooting stroke (39% 3PT), plus switchable defens. He profiles as a modern wing‑big hybrid—likely not a Day 1 starter but a high-ceiling developmental piece.
SI notes he could flex between 4 and 5, though his poor shooting creates spacing issues.
Dunn embodies the Suns’ new direction—athletic, defensively disruptive, and part of a younger core. O’Neale, by contrast, offers immediate floor spacing and steady defense—a value-add for a lineup featuring high-usage scorers who need room to operate.
A rotating approach—starting Dunn to prioritize plus‑minus defense and shifting to O’Neale during clutch situations to enhance floor spacing—could provide a strategic balance.
Meanwhile, continuing to develop Fleming and Hayes‑Davis within this rotation preserves flexibility and allows them to challenge for increased minutes as they adjust to the NBA’s pace.
According to the SB Nation survey, fans are split between Dunn and O’Neale—with Dunn representing the youthful energetic choice, and O’Neale offering veteran stability and shooting.
Some fans expressed optimism about experimental lineups, such as playing Plumlee or Ighodaro at 5 and sliding Brooks or Fleming into small-ball power-forward looks—emphasizing internal creativity over traditional roles.
The Suns’ “Who Starts at the 4?” debate isn’t just about rotation—it’s emblematic of their reset strategy. Will they lean into youth and upside with Ryan Dunn, or opt for veteran savvy and spacing with Royce O’Neale? Both are defensible choices with trade-offs.
A hybrid strategy—starting Dunn while preserving O’Neale’s role in high-leverage moments, and nurturing real sit-and-develop options—may yield the most holistic path forward.
