Jordan Ott Faces Crucial Decision on Rasheer Fleming’s Future
Rasheer Fleming has emerged as one of the 2025-26 Phoenix Suns’ biggest surprises. The rookie was the 31st pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Late-season rise
Fleming did not join the rotation until after the All-Star break. Since then, his impact has been immediate and measurable.
He owns the highest NETRTG among Suns players at 11.6. The team went 7-9 in games during that span.
On-off court value
Filmogaz.com analysis of databallr numbers shows a wide gap. Excluding low-leverage possessions, the Suns post an 11.5 NETRTG with Fleming on the floor.
They register a 1.6 NETRTG without him. Those figures underline how much the team improves with him.
Shooter and size
Post All-Star, Fleming leads Phoenix in three-point accuracy. He is 48.1 percent on 52 attempts, with a 15-attempt minimum applied.
That rate ties him for the third-best three-point percentage in the NBA among players with at least 50 attempts.
Fleming stands 6’9″ with a 7’6″ wingspan. His size gives him positional versatility on both ends.
Defensive and rebounding profile
He ranks tied for first among rookie forwards in blocks per minute, using a 250-minute minimum. His defensive field goal percentage sits at 42.3 percent.
That DFG% is ninth-best among NBA forwards with at least 175 defensive field goal attempts. He also ranks fourth among power forwards in offensive rebounds per minute, using a 500-minute minimum.
The Suns prioritize offensive rebounding as a team. Phoenix ranks tied for fourth in the league in that category.
Roster dynamics and playing time
Despite the surge, Fleming averages the 10th-most minutes per game on Phoenix since the All-Star break. The Suns are deep and approaching full health.
Still, no other Suns player matches Fleming’s on-court effect. Royce O’Neale carries the team’s worst NETRTG at -3.9.
Fleming is the obvious candidate to challenge that spot in the starting lineup.
Coaching crossroads
Coach Jordan Ott recognized Fleming needed time before breaking into the rotation. Fleming has developed faster than expected.
With roughly ten games left, Jordan Ott faces a crucial decision on how to allocate minutes. The coaching staff must weigh roster depth against clear performance gains.
Implications for Phoenix
Fleming offers shooting, length, defense, and offensive rebounding. Those skills fit Phoenix’s current identity.
Decisions made now could shape the Suns’ closing stretch and their rotation heading into next season.
