The Phoenix Suns are about to end 2024 in much the same way they did 2023. Struggling to get above .500 and with three star players who can never seem to stay healthy and get on the court together at the same time. Luckily for the organization, they have had some role players who have exceeded expectations.
Already the most underrated and dependable player on the roster has cracked this top 10 list, but it only gets better from there. It might not seem like there’s a lot to cheer for in The Valley right now – and head coach Mike Budenholzer might be under more pressure than you think – but this is still a good team with plenty of excellent players.
Royce O’Neale certainly fits that bill at number seven on our list.
It says it all that O’Neale only landed in Phoenix at the trade deadline last season, but right away had an oversized impact with this group. He came at the same time as David Roddy, a player who departed this summer and who has not been missed since. O’Neale also arrived to Grayson Allen having a career year, and yet that didn’t put him off either.
He was one of the few players who stood up and was counted in the harrowing playoff sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he even started a pair of games once Allen went down with an ankle sprain. He only managed to shoot 33 percent from deep – and yet in taking 4.5 attempts each game – it was clear O’Neale was comfortable in his new surroundings.
