2018–19 Phoenix Suns season
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
1 October 1 Sacramento L 102-106 Deandre Ayton ( 24 ) Deandre Ayton ( 9 ) Josh Jackson ( 6 ) Talking Stick Resort Arena 8,184 0-1
2 October 3 New Zealand W 91-86 Deandre Ayton ( 21 ) Deandre Ayton ( 15 ) Trevor Ariza ( 6 ) Talking Stick Resort Arena 7,183 1-1
3 October 5 Portland L 93-115 Deandre Ayton ( 19 ) Deandre Ayton ( 14 ) Josh Jackson ( 7 ) Talking Stick Resort Arena 11,811 1-2
4 October 8 @ Golden State W 117-109 Deandre Ayton , Ryan Anderson ( 18 ) Deandre Ayton ( 7 ) Isaiah Canaan , Shaquille Harrison , Josh Jackson ( 5 ) Oracle Arena 19,596 2-2
5 October 10 @ Portland L 83-116 Josh Jackson ( 13 ) Davon Reed ( 6 ) Josh Jackson , Dragan Bender , Tyson Chandler ( 4 ) Moda Center 15,051 2-3
The 2018-19 Phoenix Suns season was the 51st season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as their 26th season at the Talking Stick Resort Arena. They finished with 19 wins to 63 losses, the franchise's worst regular season record since the inaugural season 1968-69. The Suns started the season with a new head coach, signing former assistant coach Igor Kokoškov to a three-year deal on May 2, 2018. After winning the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, the Suns picked Deandre Ayton, a Bahamian center from the University of Arizona. They also gained the draft rights of the tenth overall pick, Mikal Bridges, through a trade involving the Philadelphia 76ers, thus recovering the final pick they received from first trading Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers. During the 2018 NBA free agency period, the Suns also acquired some key players from the Houston Rockets the previous season with Trevor Ariza on July 1 and Ryan Anderson and rookie De'Anthony Melton nearly two months later on August 31. But after failing to sign a starting-caliber point guard during free agency, general manager Ryan McDonough was fired before the regular season began on October 8. He was replaced by former Suns' player James Jones and Trevor Bukstein on an interim basis throughout the season; Jones was eventually named the permanent general manager after the end of the season. The Suns were the first team eliminated from playoff contention on February 23, missing the playoffs for a franchise-record ninth straight season.