(Sun)day On A Monday: Devin Booker’s Impact, Phoenix Suns Free Agency, A Southern Connection And More
By Spencer Hann
This will be a weekly Monday column with everything related to the Phoenix Suns. Comments, suggestions, questions are welcome. Thanks for reading! Let’s get started.
Life on Planet Orange
1. With the draft less than a week old, the mental images of Devin Booker draining threes as a human supernova are still surely engraved in Suns fan’s minds. Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I can’t be the only person in Arizona that has a negative thing to say about Suns draft.
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Don’t get me wrong, snagging Devin Booker and his 41.1 percent three-point shooting with the 13th pick in the draft is a flat-out steal, so I’ve got nothing but high praise there (and we will get back to him shortly). However, even more so than shooting, the Suns’ biggest need coming into this draft was a bruising power forward capable of inflicting damage in the paint. A big man that could provide size, rebounding, toughness and even just a touch of offense would have been ideal.
Well, last time I checked, Bobby Portis — a 6’10″, 247-pound power forward out of Arkansas who averaged 17.8 points and 8.9 rebounds (more than three offensive rebounds a game) last season — was available all the way up to the 22nd pick in the draft.
Armed with a second round pick, loads of cash, an entire roster that seemed to be on available for the right deal and Cleveland’s top-12 protected first round pick next year, Phoenix had nine opportunities to trade back into the first round and grab Portis but failed to do so. Drafting Booker was very, very good. But Booker and Portis would have been GREAT.
2. Back to the sharpshooting Booker. On the surface, he is a terrific addition to the Suns both as a person and a player. The team will reap the benefits of his shooting from day one, while the fans will immediately connect to this kid (just watch his Suns introductory press conference and it’s easy to see why).
However, his addition as a true shooting guard raises serious questions moving forward for the Suns, as (correct me if you have heard this before) there’s a serious buildup at the guard position. Phoenix has Archie Goodwin, Reggie Bullock, Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe, Jerel McNeal and now Devin Booker filling up their guard spots* AND don’t forget about Bogdan Bogdanovic coming over to the Suns next season.
The fact of the matter is that the addition of Booker has changed things in the Suns’ philosophy, likely signaling the end of the two point guard lineup. Booker could emerge as the Suns starting shooting guard sooner rather than later in a more conventional starting lineup. This scenario then makes the need to have both Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight unnecessary. In my opinion, expect only one of those two to be on the Suns by this time next year.
Looking at the rest of the Suns’ guards, Bogdanovic will likely be the second guard/swingman on the team once he comes to the states, rendering Archie Goodwin, Reggie Bullock and Jerel McNeal as the odd men out. The unconventional two point guard lineup was bound to be split up eventually, but the drafting of Booker may have only increased the speed of that process.
3. Due to Bobby Portis (and every other big man from the draft) wearing something other than the Suns’ purple and orange next year, Phoenix will now look to free agency to land their impact big. With the team reportedly set to pursue LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love with a pocket full of cash, the next couple of weeks should be exciting for Suns nation, but will the prospect of either of those players coming to Phoenix prove to be realistic?
My guess is no. Instead, the Suns need to avoid becoming wrapped up in a chase that they cannot win, while lesser-but-still-effective power forwards sign elsewhere. It will be incredibly intriguing as to how long the Suns keep up after the top free agents despite the fact they will be going up against the likes of Boston, San Antonio and Los Angeles.
General manager Ryan McDonough and the Suns brass absolutely believe they can land a big fish this offseason, stressing that Phoenix is still a premier destination as well. These next several weeks should put those beliefs to the test.
*On a side note, this effectively puts an end to any chance of Gerald Green returning to Phoenix. Thanks for everything Gerald.
The Purple Connection
1. Southeast Division, you can thank the Suns if you’re looking up at the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat next season. Let me explain. It’s no secret that the Suns were targeting Frank Kaminsky in their attempts to move up in the draft last Thursday. After the Suns were repeatedly rebuffed, the quirky power forward fell into the laps of Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Hornets as the ninth selection in the draft. Kaminsky should start immediately, undoubtedly becoming one of the go-to threats on the up-and-coming Hornets.
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Sir Charles In Charge
In Miami, a celebration erupted as Justice Winslow somehow, someway fell to the Heat at the 10th pick in the draft. The small forward from Duke will join a Heat nucleus consisting of Goran Dragic (thank you, Phoenix), Dwayne Wade (I think), Chris Bosh and Hassan Whiteside. With Dragic, a true point guard in the fold, everyone’s job will be made that much easier thanks to his playmaking abilities that will stand out more than ever in the Eastern Conference.
2. After winning the NBA Finals MVP, there is little doubt that the “Seven Seconds Or Less” inspired Warriors wouldn’t be standing as NBA champions without Andre Iguodala. Ironically, he barely missed playing for an NBA championship with the original “Seven Seconds Or Less” squad 11 years ago.
Picking seventh in the 2004 NBA Draft and a baby-face Iguodala still available, the Suns instead chose to trade the pick to Chicago for cash, a future first rounder and the rights to Jackson Vroman. Iguodala, of course, would go on to become a defensive force in Philadelphia and Golden State, culminating in his recent championship.
The Suns during this time would experience several playoff heartbreaks, coming oh-so-close to the elusive NBA Finals berth but failing to get over the hump. It’s not out of the realm of reality to think that Phoenix would have at least one NBA championship in that era if Phoenix had made a different decision that day. Just imagine a core consisting of Steve Nash, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire and Andre Iguodala. One could only dream.
Memory of the Week
In honor of the past draft:
If I Were Ryan McDonough This Week
LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love can expect a phone call asking for an honest percentage chance of landing either one. Anything below 40 percent, I’m hanging up the phone and doing three things:
- Contacting David West, offering a two-year, $26 million deal with a team option on the second year and trying to sell him on mentoring a young talented group of players with his trademark intensity, passion and grit.
- Letting every general manager in the league know that Eric Bledsoe is available for the right price, which is, of course, a talented big man.
- Packaging P.J. Tucker and Marcus Morris together in a trade, freeing up more cap space to go hard after three-point specialist Mike Dunleavy.
Tweet of the Week
That Suns will seriously explore their Eric Bledsoe trade options if they indeed strikes the deal w/B-Knight that @GeryWoelfel is reporting
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 29, 2015
Next: Report: Brandon Knight To Re-Sign With Suns