Koa Peat’s development requires patience amid Suns’ early struggles

You could feel it last night during the loss to the San Antonio Spurs, couldn’t you? When Suns’ rookie wing Koa Peat entered the game, you could feel that “disease of what if” beginning to creep in. Perhaps I felt it more than most because I’d spent my morning browsing eBay, looking through the newly released 2026-27 Topps basketball cards and hunting for Peat rookie cards. Side note: I love that they’re doing the 45th anniversary of the 1981-82 Topps cards. Classically beautiful.

So when he entered the game with 5:56 left and the Suns trailing by 30 points in the fourth quarter, I suddenly had a reason to remain engaged for the rest of the evening. And he didn’t disappoint. The first time…