We’re sure you’ve already hated the Phoenix Suns’ loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Emirates NBA Cup, and one thing that was sorely lacking that night was more size.
It’s why the Thunder were able to force Collin Gillespie into his worst game of the season, because they chased him with bigger players and the Suns had no one else to come back with.
Isaiah Livers would have a bigger role if he were healthy.
That’s why the Suns need to get Isaiah Livers back as soon as possible from the hip problem that forced him to miss the last seven games (and counting).
Few could have predicted the impact Livers would have in Phoenix after missing all of last season, but he is the kind of mobile forward that Jordan Ott clearly likes.
Defensively, he is able to disrupt shooters and is quick enough to deal with smaller players, while also not shying away from physical contact inside.
Suns injury report vs. Lakers:
Dillon Brooks (left Achilles tendon pain) Questionable
Devin Booker (right groin injury) Questionable
Jalen Green (right hamstring injury) OUT
Isaiah Livers (right hip sprain) OUT #Sunbathing pic.twitter.com/iE4POyUtvz— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 14, 2025
On the other hand, he isn’t asked to do much because his grades are low across the board. That unselfish play alongside scorers like Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale has been crucial to the Suns’ success this season.
It has also made Nigel Hayes-Davis redundant at The Valley, despite gaining too many fans from Europe. Livers is younger and a better fit for what coach Ott tries to accomplish every night.
If he returns from injury, you can bet he’ll see an increase in the 12.2 minutes he’s been getting per game thus far. Coach Ott recently appeared to unveil his playoff rotation in a win, but Livers can easily work his way into that rotation.
He offers this group something that no one else on the roster can, and it’s that mix of size and willingness to take a back seat offensively.
This could allow Dillon Brooks to be the go-to guy if Devin Booker and Jalen Green are unavailable, although the prospect of Livers playing alongside that trio is even more intriguing.
He forces opponents to either play someone bigger in an attempt to overpower him, which doesn’t always work, or to let a smaller man go around him.
While that may have some success, it means Brooks, Ryan Dunn or Mark Williams can pick that smaller player via switches once they get the ball again.
His numbers don’t show up in the box score every night, but for the Suns to be the best versions of themselves, they need Livers back in the rotation.
#Suns #guaranteed #minutes #healthy