Phoenix Suns: 5 Expectations For Rest Of 2014-15 Season
1. Give All Of The Minutes To Archie Goodwin And T.J. Warren
This is a no-brainer even if Brandon Knight’s ankle turns out to be just fine. If Knight misses time, it becomes even more painstakingly obvious: Archie Goodwin and T.J. Warren should be playing a ton of minutes every single night from here on out.
The benefits are all too clear. In Warren’s case, his off-the-ball movement represents a much-needed injection of life into the Suns’ struggling offense. He has a nose for the basket, he already knows how to finish under the rim among the trees and he excels at doing all the basic, fundamental things it takes to score easy points.
When he’s received ample time, he’s produced. Last night against OKC, the Suns rookie put up 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting in 29 minutes. His playing time has been a bit up and down lately, but there’s no reason for playing Gerald Green over Warren with the Suns out of the playoffs now.
As for Goodwin, he should be receiving backup point guard minutes if Knight misses time, not A.J. Price. If Price does get some court time, it should only be because head coach Jeff Hornacek wants Goodwin’s minutes to come at the 2.
Like Warren, Goodwin has also shown he’s learning how to produce with more minutes. In a loss to the Sacramento Kings, Goodwin was one of the few bright spots for the Suns, putting up 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting. He also knocked down two big-time shots in a big win against the Dallas Mavericks. This 20-year-old absolutely needs to be on the floor from here on out.
The common themes here are player development and working to improve for a playoff run next season. The Suns still have a very young core and though the 2014-15 season has been a disappointment, this team still has a bright future. These last eight games are a great opportunity to start incorporating Goodwin, Warren, Bledsoe, Knight, Alex Len and the Morris twins together in the present.
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