The Phoenix Suns are adapting to Mike Budenholzer’s substitution patterns

by Junna Base November 13, 2024

SALT LAKE CITY – Phoenix Suns star guard Devin Booker knows most of his NBA career has been retired from the game.

Unless he was plagued by foul trouble, Booker played the entire first quarter – and started the second quarter when he was struggling.

A lot has changed under new head coach Mike Budenholzer.

The Suns play shorter periods of play with the boys, with the aim of getting them to perform at their maximum in periods of, say, five or six minutes.

Booker still has to play the entire first quarter.

“It’s something I’m going to have to get used to,” Booker said last month after a road win against the Clippers. “…We all learn from each other. I think coach told us before the first game to wait ten games, get used to it and see how we feel about our minutes and go from there.”

Phoenix reached that 10-game mark with an impressive 8-2 start heading into Tuesday night’s game against the Utah Jazz, with players still adjusting to rotations.

“There’s going to be times when coach says, ‘Look, this is what we need, this is how we need to operate as a group,'” Suns superstar Kevin Durant said earlier this season. “Everyone just has to get into the role and just go out and play. He let it be known on the first day. No confusion and the guys understand what they need to do when they step on the floor.”

Matchups are taken into account in the rotation, as are combinations that Budenholzer wants to try out, which may be based in part on analysis.

The Suns also believe they have a strong team. In ten games, Budenholzer has used 47 different lineups between two and seven games.

“He has a tough job because we have 12 guys who can play,” Suns guard Bradley Beal said. “He tries to find minutes for everyone. Some minutes are taken away, but at the end of the day when you have that much versatility and firepower, your hands are tied.”

There is room for flexibility and adjustments, but the Suns enter games with a rotation plan.

“It’s a long game,” Budenholzer said. “The game lasts 48 minutes and there are runs throughout the game and I think you have to be as aware of the end of the game as you are in this moment. “Think about both, prepare for it and make decisions about both. It’s never easy.”

After 10 games, Budenholzer could decide the minutes and the rotations remain the same as the Suns win.

On the other hand, Booker recently opened up about how his minutes progressed after a 13-point effort on 5 of 13 shooting in Friday’s 114-113 win in Dallas.

“I probably played the first 12 minutes the last eight years of my career,” Booker said. “I’m trying to find a rhythm but at the same time get the guys going. It will come.”

Two days later, before facing the Sacramento Kings, Budenholzer addressed the protocol and substitution pattern regarding Booker.

“When you start with four or five great games, I don’t think there’s any mention of the rotations, the minutes or the subs,” Budenholzer said when Booker was named the Western Conference Player of the Week earlier this season after averaging 33, Had scored 7 points in a 3-0 stretch.

However, due to injuries, rotations may now change.

Durant will miss at least the next six games due to a left calf strain, with a reevaluation scheduled for the weekend of November 23-24.

He leads the team with 38.8 minutes per game. Durant played the entire first quarter on October 28 against the Lakers and on October 31 at the Clippers.

Sunday was an opportunity to play Booker the entire first quarter, but Budenholzer shut him down with 3:09 left.

Booker battled an illness and battled fatigue throughout the game, logging a season-best 43 minutes.

“He had a few tough days,” Budenholzer said after Sunday’s loss. “I have to find a way to give him a break, even if he’s healthy. Give him some rest and keep him ready to finish, but he’s a fighter, he’s a competitor. He wants to play every minute.”

Beal was poked in the left knee by Kings forward DeMar DeRozan in overtime on Sunday but continued to play while starting big man Jusuf Nurkic missed the second half with soreness in his left ankle.

The 7-footer went scoreless on 0-4 shooting in just 15 minutes of work.

In response, Budenholzer played more minutes against Mason Plumlee and gave Oso Ighodaro some fire after the rookie last played on Oct. 31. Josh Okogie played for only the second time this season.

There’s still a 10-game sample size for the Suns to try again. Some substitution patterns have developed in recent games.

Royce O’Neale was the first substitute for Beal or Jones after seven or six minutes. Booker checked out after three minutes against the Heat and Kings.

Here’s a recap of the first quarter rotations of Phoenix’s first 10 games.

Oct. 23 at Clippers (W)

8:47 left: Plumlee in, Nurkic out. 7:35: O’Neale in, Beal out. 5:20: Monte Morris in, Jones out. 3:51: Ryan Dunn in, Durant out. 3:20: Ighodaro in, Booker out. 3:03: Beal in, Plumlee out. 2:33: Grayson Allen in, O’Neale out.

Oct. 25 at the Lakers (left, Allen is out for personal reasons)

8:06 left: Plumlee in, Nurkic out. 6:54: O’Neale in, Beal out. 5:23: Morris in, Jones out. 3:29: Dunn in, Durant out. 2:38: Beal in, Booker out; Nurkic in, Plumlee out.

Oct. 26 vs. Mavs (W, Beal injured, Dunn starts)

8:11 left: O’Neale in, Dunn out. 5:11: Morris in, Booker out; Dunn in, Jones out. 3:39: Plumlee in, Nurkic out. 3:21: Booker in, Dunn out; Damion Lee in, Durant out. 1:27: Collin Gillespie in, O’Neale out. 7.8 seconds: Ighodaro in, Plumlee out; O’Neale in, Lee out.

Oct. 28 vs. Lakers (W)

6:54 left: Everyone in, Beal out. 5:16: Plumlee in, Nurkic out; O’Neale in, Booker out; Morris in, Jones out. 2:38: Booker in, Allen out; Beal in, Morris out. Durant played the entire first quarter.

Beal scored five points in the final 1:20 of the first quarter but did not start the second quarter after barely getting back into the game with 2:38 left in the quarter.

“The competitive side of you, you want to stay in the game,” Beal said. “With so many people coming in, I can’t be mad if Book comes in to check in for me. We’re still going. The ship is still moving forward.”

Oct. 31 at Clippers (W, Beal injured, Dunn starts)

4:50 left: O’Neale in, Booker out; Morris in, Jones out; Everyone in, Dunn out. 3:13: Plumlee in, Nurkic out. 1:23: Booker in, Morris out. 35.5 seconds: Dunn in, Booker out. Durant played the entire first quarter.

November 2 vs. Blazers (W)

7:01 left: Dunn in, Beal out; O’Neale in, Jones out. 6:49. Jones in, Dunn out. 4:31: Everyone in, Booker out; Plumlee in, Nurkic out; Morris in, Jones out. 2:43: Dunn in, O’Neale out; Beal in, Durant out. 32.2 seconds: Booker in, Morris out. 26.3 seconds: O’Neale in, Allen out.

November 4th: vs. 76ers (W)

6:53 left: O’Neale in, Jones out. 5:34: Everyone in, Booker out; Plumlee in, Nurkic out. 4:13: Jones in, Beal out. 2:52: Dunn in, O’Neale out; Booker in, Durant out.

Jones was the first to come out in three straight games against the Clippers, Heat and Blazers.

O’Neale is off to a strong start to the season, but an early exit can impact rhythm, which seems essential for a point guard like Jones.

“If I’m asked to play the whole quarter, I’m going to play my best the whole quarter,” Jones said. “If I’m asked to play three or four minutes, I’ll give it my all for three or four minutes and do what I’m supposed to do. I can’t worry about rotations. I also think it’s early. We’re still trying to figure it out. I’m still integrating boys. I’m still figuring out the lineup.”

November 6 vs. Heat (W)

6:53 left: O’Neale in, Beal out. 4:32: Plumlee in, Nurkic out, Allen in, Booker out. 2:37: Beal in, Jones out. 2:16: Booker in, Plumlee out.

November 8th at Mavericks (W, Dunn injured)

7:21 left: O’Neale in, Jones out. 6:20: Jones in, Beal out. 3:04: Plumlee in, Nurkic out. Everyone in, Booker out. Durant played the entire first quarter.

November 10 vs. the Kings (left, Durant out injured, Dunn starts)

6:32 left: O’Neale in, Beal out. 4:50: Okogie in, Dunn out. Everyone in, Jones out. 3:09: Plumlee in, Nurkic out. Beal in, Booker out. 1:03: Jones in, O’Neale out.

Do you have any opinions on the current state of the suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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