The Phoenix Suns rested Ricky Rubio, Deandre Ayton, and Devin Booker in Saturday night’s preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Rested” is a generous term. The more accurate way to put it would be, “Voluntarily sat them out.”
It is not uncommon for teams to sit their stars during preseason games. The regular season consists of 82 grueling battles, so most teams understandably preserve their best players’ bodies whenever possible.
But the Phoenix Suns are not most teams.
They are coming off a 19-win season, they have a new head coach, a new system, and a bus load of new players.