Free Agency
Based on who’s been available, Wright’s minutes have fluctuated between the power forward and the center positions, making it that much more difficult for him to carve out his niche.
However, Wright hasn’t been deterred after an entire career of trying to fit in.
“The last four years, I’ve been playing 85 percent backup center,” he said. “A little bit more in Dallas, I played a lot more backup 4 so I’m pretty comfortable with it. Wherever I need to be, wherever I can be plugged in at I just got to be ready to play.”
Wright has been undeniably more effective logging minutes at center than he has been at the 4, mostly because he can’t really shoot outside the painted area. As a free agent this summer, Wright’s ability to block shots, run the floor and convert easy buckets in the paint may put the Suns in a difficult place between wanting to keep him and being willing to pay up in order to do so.
With the Suns intent on re-signing restricted free agent Brandon Knight and/or hoping to land a star over the summer with their cap space, another team may lure Wright away with a bigger contract.
However, it’d be nice to see Wright stick in Phoenix, especially since he’s been a journeyman looking for a more permanent home throughout his career. He came agonizingly close to finding it in Dallas, and is now making the best of his situation with the Suns.
Re-signing this 27-year-old (at the right price, of course) would be a great advantage for the Suns moving forward, especially if he continues to grow more comfortable with his new team.
“His activity of rolling to the basket; have to honor that,” Hornacek said. “We’ll get to the point where we can make some good lob passes to him too and we’ll have that combination.
“We don’t do a lot of that where we throw him the lob so when we do see one open we seem to be missing it. Again, hopefully that connection will be there.”
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