Koa Peat knocks on the Suns rotation as injuries pile up

The setup started with Thursday's injury report vs. Orlando, which knocked out 3 Suns bodies at once.

Goodwin hurt his right calf in the first half of Monday's loss to Golden State, and Fleming sprained his left ankle in practice Tuesday, according to Arizona Sports. Mark Williams is still out after left shoulder surgery. That's a guard, a forward and the starting-caliber big all gone in the same week. Before the Magic game, Ott was asked about the frontcourt hole and named the rookie straight up.

That's the important part. Ott isn't just talking about Peat because guys are hurt. He's talking about him because Phoenix got pushed around. He told reporters you could "feel the size differential that we just lack, plain and simple," per SI, and Peat is a big, physical body who rebounds, drives and can stay in front of guys on the ball. Ott laid it out in full after the game.

"Full faith that that's what's coming" is about as much as a coach gives a rookie who barely plays. And he really has barely played: SI counted 4 appearances this season of 2, 3, 3 and 7 minutes. HoopsHype's notes say the injuries make it tough to send him to the G League right now too, so he's sticking with the big club whether the minutes show up or not. Ott also said Fleming got unlucky with the timing of the ankle, since the Portland game was exactly the kind of night he'd have played in. The young bigs are lined up and waiting for a chance.

The Magic game showed how close "the cusp" really is. Peat got a quick look before garbage time and then went straight back to the bench.

Now Houston. The Saturday report has Goodwin doubtful with the calf and Fleming questionable with the ankle, and Houston is thin up front too, with Clint Capela and Steven Adams both out behind Alperen Sengun. If Fleming can't go, there's a bench big man spot sitting there in a game that will come down to size and rebounding. That's the exact skill set Ott just spent 2 days praising. If Peat doesn't get real run Saturday, all that cusp talk starts to look like just talk.