ESPN believes in the Phoenix Suns this season

Brooklyn Nets v Phoenix Suns | Zhizhao Wu/GettyImagesThe Phoenix Suns enter the 2025-26 regular season in a much different place than when we last saw them play. Kevin Durant is long gone from The Valley - and Netflix is currently making us revisit that ugly breakup - while Bradley Beal also left for pastures new in Los Angeles after being bought out.

Not that all of this is necessarily a bad thing. Through four preseason games the Suns have played with more heart and effort than we saw for much of the regular season, with guys such as Dillon Brooks and Collin Gillespie personifying this new commitment to effort. Then there are Jordan Goodwin and Jared Butler, who have given this franchise…