Three Preseason Games, Three Names Still on the Shelf

Road trip opens. Phoenix plays its first two preseason games away from home, at the Pistons on October 5 and at the Bulls on October 7, before flying back to Phoenix for a home date three days later. Ott gets two true road games to test lineups and rotations with nothing on the actual record on the line.

Spurs get the spotlight. San Antonio is the week's only home game and its only nationally televised one, tipping off October 10 on ESPN2. It is the one audience-facing measuring stick before Phoenix closes the exhibition slate on the road.

Two bodies targeted. Duop Reath, day-to-day with a lower-leg injury, and CJ Huntley, day-to-day with a hamstring issue, each carry an estimated return of October 5 — the same date as the trip opener in Detroit. Neither has played a preseason minute yet.

Williams still shelved. Mark Williams is still without a timeline, sidelined by a left shoulder and arm injury that is not expected to clear before February 3. That leaves Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro as the only healthy centers for every game this week.

Booker's floor. Devin Booker averaged 26.1 points last season, with 3.9 rebounds and 6.0 assists a night across 64 games — the production level the Suns need from him again before Bridges, Brooks and Green settle into their roles around him.

Apron still looms. Phoenix carries a $216.2 million payroll, above the $200.4 million tax line, built on top salaries from Booker, Green, Bridges and Brooks, with Bradley Beal's $19.4 million player option still on the books. None of that changes this week, but it is the backdrop every roster decision gets made against.