The Phoenix Suns cruised past the Brooklyn Nets in an ultimately bad-tempered 106-102 victory on Tuesday night, and they did it without three of their starters.
Devin Booker, Jalen Green and Collin Gillespie all missed out due to various ailments that presented an opportunity for fringe kids to get some minutes.
Nigel Hayes-Davis and Rasheer Fleming get a rare chance to impress
This paved the way for Hayes-Davis and Fleming to find some success on the court, and if nothing else, they played their part in a win over the lowly Nets.
The pair are at different stages of their careers, so it was important for them to be there for completely different reasons.
We’ve already seen some flashes this season from rookie Fleming to believe he can be part of Phoenix’s long-term future. The eight minutes he played in 24 games this season were just above his average.
Rasheer Fleming. pic.twitter.com/60ksFiJTq4
— duo lipeᶜʳᶠ (@rdarze_) January 28, 2026
He has a long frame and isn’t afraid to shoot the ball when it comes his way, although his three-point shot (if he ever wants to develop a consistent shot) needs a lot of work.
He also shares similarities with Ryan Dunn in that he is a rangy wing who looks like he could have a bigger impact on the defensive end. We’ve already seen Dunn in the rotation full-time playing the same way, and people are starting to take notice.
For Hayes-Davis it will be about playing as much in the league as possible before likely returning to Europe in the off-season. The rumors about this continue as he has failed to gain the trust of head coach Jordan Ott.
But if the trio of injured players ends up missing more time than expected, Hayes-Davis will move into the back end of the rotation, and who knows what could happen?
We know he is not part of the long-term vision in The Valley. He doesn’t play at all when the roster is fully healthy and his playing style isn’t what coach Ott wants, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t play himself in a different situation.
A trade at the deadline is unlikely, but it is in the Suns’ best interest to suspend his one-year deal for tax reasons anyway. If they give him away, games like the one against the Nets will at least show other organizations that he deserves one last chance in the league.
Two different players who will get minutes for very different reasons, but who will both benefit enormously if they can get the most out of it.
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