Suns Hit Panic Button, Roll Out Chaotic New Starting Lineup Against Warriors

Getting blown out by 41 points against the Portland Trail Blazers is the kind of rock-bottom moment that forces a franchise to look in the mirror. Instead of a mirror, the Phoenix Suns apparently looked at a random name generator.

Phoenix is officially hitting the panic button ahead of Saturday's game against the Golden State Warriors. According to Underdog NBA, the Suns are rolling out a completely scrambled starting five of Devin Booker, Josh Green, Dillon Brooks, Mikal Bridges, and Khaman Maluach.

"Underdog NBA reported the lineup alert: 'Suns will start Booker, Green, Brooks, Bridges, Maluach on Saturday.'"

After getting obliterated 124-83 by Portland earlier this week, you cannot really blame the coaching staff for throwing the whiteboard out the window. But this specific combination of players looks less like a cohesive basketball unit and more like a defensive fever dream.

Devin Booker is still the only reliable offensive engine here, cruising along at 23 points per game on 53.8 percent shooting. If you are looking at the prop market, you have to imagine his usage rate is going to absolutely skyrocket. When you share the floor with Brooks, Bridges, and Green, you are basically required to shoot the basketball every time you touch it.

Defensively, this lineup is a nightmare for opponents. Putting Brooks, who is currently chipping in 10 points and 4 boards a night, on the court next to Bridges is like sending two different types of debt collectors to the same house. Somebody on the Warriors is going to have a miserable night trying to bring the ball up the floor.

Offensively, however, the spacing is going to look like a crowded subway car. Booker is going to have to work overtime just to find a clean look at the rim, and the rookie Maluach will be tasked with cleaning up the mess in the paint.

Golden State gets the first look at this chaotic five-man experiment on Saturday. If Phoenix lays another egg and the offense completely stalls out, expect this defensive-heavy rotation to be scrapped before their flight to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.