Hayden Cilley Articles - Page 2

Nate Tibbetts is in a role unlike any other for Team USA. As the latter is in the FIBA World Cup, the Phoenix Mercury head coach has stepped into the acting head coach role for Team USA. Current head coach Kara Lawson is away from the team while she is in the NCAA tournament with […]

It’s not all that common for rookies to make a team better defensively. Insert Phoenix Suns first-year players Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach. They’ve both been highly favored and touted by head coach Jordan Ott. He’s seen the potential ever since the Suns selected Maluach and Fleming in the 2025 NBA Draft. Both have the […]

The term “Hall of Famer” is thrown around a lot, but when it comes to Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker, those claims gain more and more merit as time goes on. The five-time All-Star has gotten recognition from many head coaches, but Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is new on the list. Before Thursday’s […]

PHOENIX– Inside the chaotic nature of the NBA season lies a Duke basketball familial undertone. The program consistently has players referring to it as a ‘brotherhood,’ and no one feels that quite like Phoenix Suns rookie Khaman Maluach. Duke has a high level of success, consistency, and a legitimate championship expectation every year, and one […]

PHOENIX– Rasheer Fleming continues to develop before everyone’s eyes, and Devin Booker’s, after a career-high 16 points in the Phoenix Suns’ 111-98 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. A week prior, Fleming was enjoying being the Suns’ primary defender on guys like Luka Doncic and LeBron James. Now, the defense is catching up with […]

PHOENIX– Grayson Allen was unexpectedly hit with a knee injury before the Phoenix Suns clash against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. Throughout the entire season, Allen has battled his share of lower-body injuries. He dealt with a right groin injury at the beginning of the year, but has battled right knee issues. His injury might […]

PHOENIX– Jalen Green looks to have found his rhythm for the Phoenix Suns at a crucial time. After a rough stretch for the slashing guard, he made it up for it in a big way in the 118-116 win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. He posted 25 points on 47% shooting from the […]

PHOENIX– Before his usual pregame press conference, Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott addressed the Dillon Brooks DUI situation as an opening statement. “I know you’re going to have questions about the Dillon event last night. That’s why we sent out the statement. We’re going to continue, I’m going to continue to refer to the […]

PHOENIX– There have been few instances this season where the Phoenix Suns have been outworked. Another instance came against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. Although the 105-103 signaled a close game, don’t let the score fool you. Even for someone like Devin Booker, he knew that his team didn’t bring the right energy. Normally, they […]

PHOENIX– Throughout the Phoenix Suns’ 2025-26 season, one of the main questions has been Mark Williams’s health. While he’s played a career-high 56 games, his season has hit a major bump in the road. Only hours before Thursday’s game, the Suns announced that Williams suffered a stress reaction in his left foot. The injury comes […]

The NBA’s Executive of the Year is typically awarded to the league’s best team, as evidenced by Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti in the 2024-25 season. But don’t tell that to Phoenix Suns GM Brian Gregory. The latter has completely transformed Phoenix after the 2024-25 offseason, where there were a plethora of questions. […]

Will the newest Phoenix Suns acquisition, Haywood Highsmith, make his season debut on Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings? The 6-foot-5 forward is even unsure himself. He was given a two-to-three-week timetable for his return from knee surgery in August 2025. Ever since he landed in the Valley of the Sun, Highsmith committed to being ready […]

PHOENIX– Accountability is a phrase thrown around in the NBA, and one that the Phoenix Suns and head coach Jordan Ott understand completely. “It starts with me,” Ott said when asked pregame on Thursday what goes into holding players accountable. “That was our challenge to the group postgame (on Tuesday vs Celtics). Look internally; are […]

PHOENIX– Before Rasheer Fleming’s NBA campaign kicked off, he wanted to guard one player. “LeBron James,” Fleming said emphatically during a Phoenix Suns fan event before the season began. Although the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix have squared off three times, Fleming never had the chance to routinely guard James or Doncic. He’s spent those […]

PHOENIX– The injury bug continues to bite the Phoenix Suns, and this time it comes at the expense of Dillon Brooks. During Saturday’s 113-100 thrilling double overtime win, Brooks broke his hand, which shocked many. The latter sustained the injury in the first quarter and was grimacing a bit after taking shots or handling the […]

PHOENIX– In what might’ve been a forgettable performance became unforgettable after Jalen Green hit the game-winner for the Phoenix Suns in their 113-110 double overtime win against the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Despite shooting 6-for-26 from the field, his final make was the most important one. A fadeaway corner 3-pointer that sealed the win. Teammates […]

Update: Dillon Brooks has sustained a broken left hand and will miss time for the Phoenix Suns, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. PHOENIX– The Phoenix Suns might have another name added to their injury report during the first quarter of Saturday’s game against the Orlando Magic. Dillon Brooks suffered an injury scare and headed back […]

The Phoenix Suns might not have had the start they wanted to the backend of the season, but Jalen Green might be the silver lining in the 121-94 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. He posted 26 points in 26 minutes, but it wasn’t the point total that stood out. It was his […]

The post-All-Star break portion of the Phoenix Suns kicks off on Thursday. But before any game-time action takes place, I went ahead and answered some questions pertaining to the remaining 27 games. Does Suns’ Jordan Ott have a case for the NBA’s Coach of the Year? Perhaps I’ve been pushing this narrative a bit too […]

People around the NBA were skeptical when the Phoenix Suns hired Jordan Ott to be the franchise’s next head coach. However, general manager Brian Gregory knew exactly who he was getting. He touched on it during Ott’s inaugural press conference, and he did the same on Wednesday during a media availability. Gregory spoke to the […]

PHOENIX– As Dillon Brooks was hit with his 16th technical foul during the Phoenix Suns 136-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, it presented something strange. It wasn’t an outburst that was the reasoning behind it– but rather– what an official thought was going on. He stated that official Jason Williams said that […]

The Phoenix Suns pulled off one trade during the NBA trade deadline, but it was one they needed. General manager Brian Gregory was poised to get the team under the luxury tax, yet finding someone who fits what they are building. For a team lacking in frontcourt size, they ended up getting a nice return. […]

PHOENIX– The Phoenix Suns made only one move during the trade deadline, but it’s proving to be a good one. The team landed Amir Coffey from the Milwaukee Bucks, and he fits in nicely. He finished Tuesday’s 120-111 win over the Dallas Mavericks with six points, two rebounds, an assist, and a steal. He picked […]

PHOENIX– During All-Star weekend, Devin Booker is once again heading to the NBA 3-point contest. However, it comes as a bit of a surprise to many, including Booker himself. The latter is only shooting 31.1% from deep on 5.5 attempts per game. If the season were to end, it would statistically be his worst percentage […]

PHOENIX– When Jalen Green returned from injury, Saturday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers looked like he was as confident as ever. The box score and minutes played might not indicate, but his feel certainly did. His first four points came from acrobatic finishes that everyone is accustomed to seeing. When Green previously returned from his […]

PHOENIX– For the first time since January 23, both Devin Booker and Jalen Green will be available for the Phoenix Suns against the Philadelphia 76ers, according to head coach Jordan Ott during his pregame press conference. While Booker suffered an ankle sprain and Green suffered a hip contusion, this is great news for Phoenix. In […]

PHOENIX– A 10-0 run ended the 101-97 Phoenix Suns loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. But the main question mark has to surround head coach Jordan Ott’s decision to bench Mark Williams in the fourth quarter. Now, it’s common that Williams hasn’t played too many minutes this season. Despite his injury history and […]

SCOTTSDALE– Perspective is something Grayson Allen knows much about after entering his eighth NBA season. Although the Phoenix Suns sniper has never been traded midseason, he understands the game. After the Suns and Milwaukee Bucks made a trade for Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis, it felt like an inevitable move. Both players were receiving minimal […]

Once again, without Devin Booker or Jalen Green, the Phoenix Suns always have someone ready to step up to the plate. In the case of Tuesday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, that was Collin Gillespie. He dropped a career-high 30 points in what has already been a career season for the Villanova guard. Because […]

In a career-year for Dillon Brooks, the Phoenix Suns have been the recipients of his elevated play. While Brooks was thought to elevate the Suns’ culture, he’s also elevated their play on the court. Most notably, he won the Western Conference Player of the Week for the first time in his career. He averaged 28.8 […]

Devin Booker is officially an NBA All-Star for the fifth time in his career. The NBA announced on Sunday the list of the reserves, and the Phoenix Suns star made the cut. While he’s averaging 25.4 points, 6.2 assists, and four rebounds per game, this isn’t his best statistical year. Even last season he had […]

Good news for Devin Booker: the Phoenix Suns’ all-time franchise scorer is a five-time All-Star. The NBA announced all reserves for the Western and Eastern conferences on Sunday, and he made the cut. While Booker has been absent with an ankle sprain, the game he’s played in, his impact is there. They have a 26-15 […]

PHOENIX– On the Dillon the Villain t-shirt night, Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks made the absolute most of it. He posted a career-high 40 points and led the team to a convincing 114-96 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday. The previously No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference had struggles containing Brooks all night. […]

SCOTTSDALE– When Charles Barkley comments on you, you typically listen. That was exactly the case for Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks. As Barkley said that Brooks should be an all-star for the Suns, it was a statement of pure intent. The latter is having a career year in the Valley of the Sun and seems […]

PHOENIX– A reputation unlike any other– for better or for worse– belongs to Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks and the NBA league officials. The latter seemed to track Brooks down for any contact that crosses the threshold of what is deemed as ‘unnecessary’ during Tuesday’s 106-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets. His first technical foul […]

PHOENIX– The mild-mannered, calm, stoic Jordan Ott lost his cool after the Phoenix Suns 106-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, and for good reason: the officiating. During the fourth quarter, with 1:14 left, the Nets and Suns got into a skirmish that was destined to happen. It started between Royce O’Neale and Terrance Mann with […]

Jalen Green has only been in four games for the Phoenix Suns, but he has the chance to participate on Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets. He is listed as questionable with right hamstring injury management. Although Green exited the Suns’ game on Friday against the Atlanta Hawks due to that injury, it felt more like […]

PHOENIX– Offense without Devin Booker has Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott feeling a bit somber. Although he felt that after Friday’s game, when Booker initially got injured, that sentiment sat with him during his postgame press conference on Sunday after a 111-102 loss to the Miami Heat. “It’s hard. You feel helpless at times, […]

PHOENIX– The Phoenix Suns miss Devin Booker, and Sunday’s 111-102 loss to the Miami Heat proved all of that. With guys like Grayson Allen thrust into an expanded role, a woeful shooting night, and a staunch opposing defense made life miserable. The latter scored 18 points but only connected on one of his 11 attempts […]