Around the Beat: ESPN's Rankings Sting the Valley

By the Suns Nightly Desk · Wednesday, September 23

Phoenix's beat writers spent the week grading the roster ESPN just ranked, debating who starts and who has to earn a camp spot, and floating trades no transaction supports. The one item that matched the record: three training camp signings became official under the same names already logged this week.

Suns Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

ESPN's rankings land rough. Arizona Sports flagged Devin Booker's lowest ESPN ranking in seven years, and a separate Arizona Sports piece put Dillon Brooks at No. 76 in ESPN's top 100 players. Booker still scored 26.1 points a night last season on a $57.1 million salary; the ranking reflects ESPN's grading, not any change in his role.

Bright Side pushes back. Bright Side of the Sun wrote that ESPN's ranking of Brooks misses something, pointing to his 20.2 points last season on 34.4 percent shooting from three. Two outlets read the same numbers and landed on opposite conclusions about where Brooks stands entering camp.

Six starters, or fewer. Bright Side of the Sun raised the idea that Phoenix might have six starters, while Valley of the Suns named three players who have to earn a rotation spot again at camp. Neither piece names a starting five; health, not new arrivals, still decides who plays.

Bridges carries the stakes. Valley of the Suns wrote that the season now hinges on Miles Bridges, who averaged 17.1 points and 5.8 rebounds across 77 games last season. That workload grows heavier with Mark Williams still out following shoulder surgery, with no return date announced since.

Camp names made official. RealGM confirmed what the transaction log already showed: John Camden, Corey Camper and Samuel Hoiberg signed training camp contracts with the Suns on September 23. All three are rookies rounding out a camp roster still weeks from cuts.

Trade chatter runs ahead. Valley of the Suns floated a Clippers scenario involving Booker, a Dallas–Kyrie Irving hinge and a hypothetical Anthony Davis trade, plus a coming reset. None of it shows up in Phoenix's actual books: Booker remains under contract through 2029-30, and no Davis or Kyrie deal exists on the transaction log.

On deck Training camp opens within the week and Fan Fest runs October 2, with preseason starting October 5 at the Pistons ahead of the October 21 opener at Portland.

Why did ESPN rank Devin Booker so low this year?

Arizona Sports reported it as his lowest ESPN ranking in seven years; it reflects ESPN's own grading, not a change in Booker's role, and he still averaged 26.1 points last season.

Are the Suns actually shopping Devin Booker in a Clippers trade?

No trade is on Phoenix's transaction log; Valley of the Suns raised the idea, but Booker remains under contract through 2029-30.