Age: 28

Hometown: Lodz, Poland

Birthday: Feb 17, 1984

Height: 6-11

Weight: 240

Position: C

Experience: 4 years

Draft: 2005, 57th overall by Phoenix

College: None

2011-12 Salary: $6,790,640

Consult our advanced stats page for a glossary and discussion of the preceding metrics.

2011-12 Season Outlook: This was supposed to be Marcin Gortat’s year, but the best laid plans of Poles and Canadians often go astray. Taking over as the full-time starter at center and refining his pick-and-roll chemistry with Steve Nash, in a perfect world, would turn Gortat into the offensive beast that he clearly has the potential to be, and his impressive rebounding prowess would shore up a weakness for the Suns along their front line.

Unfortunately, a broken thumb looks like it will derail the Polish Hammer during the first month of this season, causing him issues in catching passes and holding onto the ball. As he heals, he’ll improve — and so will the Suns — but in a 66-game season, every game counts.

Gortat is a strong post defender, per Synergy Sports, but his eagerness to protect the rim can be a negative for a team trying to learn and install a new, cohesive defensive system. Breakdowns on the interior often force Gortat to overrotate in an attempt to cover up for his teammates’ errors.

Gortat is the team’s second-best player, without a doubt. His ability to take the load off of and to assist Steve Nash on the offensive end will largely determine how far this team goes in 2011-12. – Andrew Lynch

Biography: Born in Lodz, Poland, Marcin Gortat has sports in his DNA. His father, Janusz, was a two-time Olympic boxing bronze medalist and his mother, Alicja, was a member of the Polish national volleyball squad.

Before being drafted in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft by Phoenix, Gortat began his professional career in Europe, playing in Poland and Germany. Traded to Orlando for cash considerations, Gortat spent one season with the Developmental League-affiliated Anaheim Arsenal before making his NBA debut.

In three seasons with the Magic, Gortat averaged just 12 minutes per game behind the game’s most prominent big man in Dwight Howard. Phoenix acquired Gortat in December of 2010 in a six-player deal that sent Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu to Orlando in return for Vince Carter, Mickael Pietrus and Gortat.

Gortat called Dec. 18, 2010, the day of the trade, the best day of his life  as he established himself as a force at the center position in Phoenix.  Indeed all he needed was an opportunity as he continued to improve as his playing time increased. Accordingly, he went from averaging 10.7 points and 8.1 boards in 23.7 minutes per game in January to 13.3 and 9.3 in 30.1 in February to 15.3 and 10.8 in 34.7 in March to a very similar 15.0 and 10.6 in April as he eventually took over the Suns’ starting center position.

Links to ValleyoftheSuns coverage of Gortat:

Marcin Gortat ready to take next step after summer with The Dream

Marcin Gortat relishes opportunity with Suns, looking for more

Marcin Gortat’s Phoenix Suns offseason improvement video

Marcin Gortat’s sense of humor intact, nose no hindrance

Marcin Gortat ecstatic to face Dwight Howard after stepping out of his prodigious shadow

Marcin Gortat making most of newfound opportunity in Phoenix

Marcin Gortat, Suns a perfect marriage