At midnight tonight, 2015 NBA free agency will officially be underway. The Phoenix Suns are heading into an important offseason, not only because top-notch talent could be hitting the market, but because the team has missed the playoffs for five straight years. After yet another rebuilding effort, fans are getting impatient, even with such a young roster and a bevy of future assets.
General manager Ryan McDonough will look to change Phoenix’s fate over the next few weeks in an attempt to get the Suns back in the playoff picture. Names like Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge are already being mentioned in reverent tones. There’s a ton of talent to choose from in making this young team better, hopefully by bringing in an interior presence, perimeter shooting and rebounding.
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However, with so many notable names hitting restricted and unrestricted free agency, it’s hard to keep track of it all. Who should the Suns be targeting? Who would ideally come to Phoenix? And which targets are more realistic options that McDonough should consider as backup plans?
Here’s a look at the top 10 players who should be free agency targets for the Phoenix Suns, factoring in both their fit with the team and the likelihood that the Suns could get a deal done. Free agents who were on the roster in 2014-15 (Brandon Knight and Brandan Wright, for example) were not included.
First, here are the honorable mentions, along with a quick explanation as to why they just missed out on the top 10.
Honorable mentions: Amar’e Stoudemire (only on a minimum contract); C.J. Watson (meh); Kosta Koufos (too expensive, possibly too experienced to play behind Alex Len); Brandon Bass (possibly too expensive, not an overwhelmingly great option); Mike Dunleavy (too many small forwards already); Al-Farouq Aminu (same reason, plus he can’t shoot); DeAndre Jordan (Suns aren’t on his list); Khris Middleton (Bucks will match); Alexis Ajinca (a backup option for backup bigs); Tobias Harris (too expensive, Magic might match); Wesley Matthews (way too expensive, probably no interest in Phoenix).
Next: No. 10
10. Greg Monroe
Monroe seems like a good fit for the Suns on paper. He’s not a stretch-big, but he’s the low-post presence the Phoenix Suns have been lacking for years. He wouldn’t bolster Phoenix’s defense like Alex Len has the potential to, but there’s no question Monroe is the better overall player right now.
At age 25, Monroe is coming off a season in which he averaged 15.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He only shot 49.6 percent from the floor, which isn’t overwhelming for a guy who takes most of his shots around the basket, but he’s a a regular double-double machine capable of moving the ball and making plays from the high or low post.
So why is Monroe barely an afterthought in this top 10? Well, when you factor in the fact that the Suns weren’t listed among the teams Monroe will meet with, and then when you consider that Monroe wasn’t mentioned in the Arizona Republic’s Paul Coro‘s report on free agents that might be in play for Phoenix, there’s no chance this pairing ever sees the light of day.
Next: No. 9
9. Mo Williams
I know, I know. With Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Archie Goodwin and now Devin Booker on the roster, the Suns seem like they’re pretty much set in the backcourt. Except this team still badly needs a backup point guard to run the offense off the bench. No offense to Jerel McNeal, but he’s probably shouldn’t be that guy.
Enter Mo Williams, one of the league’s best available backup point guards who averaged 12.2 points per game in 27 appearances with the Charlotte Hornets and had a 52-point performance in January. Williams is an unrestricted free agent this summer, though his asking price might be a little too high considering he’s one of the best backup guard options in the NBA this year.
According to Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com, Williams is interested in rejoining the Cleveland Cavaliers to play with former teammate LeBron James, but he’s also open to re-signing with the Charlotte Hornets. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for the Suns, but perhaps a change of scenery to a sunnier climate is in order?
Next: No. 8
8. Darrell Arthur
Ahh yes. NOW we’re starting to get to the less sexy options that may be a bit more on the realistic side. An unrestricted free agent, Arthur averaged a meager 6.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.0 minutes per game with the Denver Nuggets last season. He shot just 40.4 percent from the floor and 23.6 percent from three-point territory. Those numbers aren’t very encouraging.
However, Arthurt would be a pretty cheap option to add depth to the frontcourt. Jon Leuer might be a better floor spacer, but Arthur is a superior defender and he’s only 27, so it’s not like the Suns would be spending their cap space on some dinosaur of a backup big.
Arthur is the kind of attainable backup the Suns may have to settle for in order to fill out the frontcourt. He doesn’t move the needle much, but if we’re trying to set reasonable expectations, Arthur could be one backup power forward option. The Suns will have some competition on that front, however:
Some FAs #Clippers have interest in: CJ Watson, Lavoy Allen, Darrell Arthur
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) June 29, 2015
Next: No. 7
7. Amir Johnson
A 6’9″ power forward, Amir Johnson will be hitting unrestricted free agency after he posted 9.3 points and 6.1 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game for the Toronto Raptors. He also shot 57.4 percent from the field and made 41.6 percent of his three-point attempts (0.6 per game). Entering his 11th year in the league, this 28-year-old is not a good long-term fit for such a young team.
However, Johnson is a veteran and great team player who’d provide some of that locker room leadership the Suns are looking for. He’s an efficient scorer and after making $7 million this season, it’s unlikely the Raptors bring him back this summer. If other teams start making him offers, the Suns could and should be in the mix to bolster their frontcourt.
After Toronto’s season ended in a disappointing first round sweep, Johnson said he hoped everyone would be back for the 2015-16 season. But if general manager Masai Ujiri decides this team has reached its ceiling, the Suns should check in on Johnson to fill out the roster.
Next: No. 6
6. Bismack Biyombo
If the Suns strike out on their top free agency targets (or even if they don’t), they should definitely give unrestricted free agent Bismack Biyombo a look. Aside from having a phonetically awesome name, Biyombo was not utilized properly by the Charlotte Hornets last year. Now that they decided not to extend him a qualifying offer and made him a free agent, he’s up for grabs.
Biyombo averaged only 4.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game last year, but he also chipped in 1.5 blocks per game in those extremely limited minutes. At 6’9″, he’s a bit undersized to play the center position, but he’s only 22 years old and has great length and defensive anticipation that helps make him such an effective shot blocker.
The Suns won’t be the only team pursuing him, but the prospect of putting this young rim protector in the rotation behind Alex Len is a tantalizing one. It’s hard to get a sense of what his market might be, but Phoenix would almost certainly have the space to make him a fair offer.
Biyombo seems like a half decent fit if Wright wants too much money right?
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) June 30, 2015
Next: No. 5
5. DeMarre Carroll
With T.J. Warren, P.J. Tucker, Marcus Morris and Danny Granger all on Phoenix’s roster, the small forward position is pretty full in Phoenix. However, if DeMarre Carroll expressed any interest in the Suns whatsoever, or if they earned a sit-down with him, they definitely shouldn’t get caught up in positional overlap with this “3-and-D” talent.
On the one hand, he’s 28 years old and would be taking minutes away from T.J. Warren, who by all rights should be playing way more minutes next season (possibly in a starter’s role). But Carroll would provide some veteran leadership and a positive locker room presence after averaging 12.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor and 39.5 percent from three-point range last year on a 60-win team.
Carroll was the Atlanta Hawks’ best player in the playoffs and plays tremendous defense, which the Suns could really benefit from on the wing. Phoenix also needs three-point threats, which would automatically put him ahead of every other 3 on the roster. Carroll is heading for a big payday, so the Suns would have to use a good chunk of their $12 million in cap space to make this happen. But if Phoenix strikes out on their top targets, Carroll would be a terrific consolation prize.
Next: No. 4
4. Danny Green
The San Antonio Spurs have consistently stolen so much from the Phoenix Suns; it’s only fair if the Suns try to steal something back. With the Spurs looking to allocate funds between Tim Duncan returning, Kawhi Leonard‘s max contract extension and possibly adding LaMarcus Aldridge, not to mention their plethora of free agents, there might not be enough cap space to go around.
This is where the Suns could make things interesting with a strong offer to San Antonio’s sharpshooter. Green would likely be San Antonio’s top free agency option after Leonard, Aldridge, Duncan and possibly Manu Ginobili, but Phoenix could probably match and/or beat whatever offer is made.
That being said, would Green be willing to take on a discount contract if it keeps him with the Spurs and their championship culture? Turning down more money is difficult, but the Spurs are one of the few NBA franchises that make doing so worth it. Still, Phoenix would LOVE to add Green’s three-point shooting and elite wing defense, especially since this 28-year-old could be a nice mentor for the 18-year-old Devin Booker.
Next: No. 3
3. Paul Millsap
Finally, on to the three sexiest candidates that the Suns have little chance of signing. Still, for a franchise that needs a star player, McDonough has to try. If he strikes out on star players like Love and Aldridge, downgrading to that second-tier star of Paul Millsap’s caliber certainly wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Millsap, who was last seen playing with the Atlanta Hawks on an absolute steal of a contract (two years, $19 million), will probably be worth significantly more than that this summer. But since he’s already 30 years old and since his numbers slightly declined last year, there’s a chance Phoenix could work something out.
However, this will likely be Millsap’s biggest payday, and since he’s eligible for a max deal starting at $18 million, the Suns could easily be outbid by a more desperate suitor unless Phoenix makes some moves to increase their spending money.
Millsap would be a tremendous fit for his rebounding, interior toughness and perimeter shooting ability, but overpaying for a 30-year-old who won’t be the superstar to lead the Suns to the promised land might not be the ideal approach. Then again, he’s a more realistic target than Aldridge or Love appear to be right now, so perhaps Phoenix should take what they can (possibly) get.
Next: No. 2
2. LaMarcus Aldridge
Phoenix has always felt like an unrealistic free agency destination for LaMarcus Aldridge. Like Millsap, Aldridge will be 30 years old by the time the 2015-16 NBA season starts. Bearing that in mind, he probably would prefer to play for a team that has a better shot at a title like (unfortunately) the San Antonio Spurs.
However, it’s worth noting that the Suns are one of seven other teams to secure a sit-down with LMA. McDonough pledged the Suns would be aggressive in their pursuit of this summer’s biggest names; so far, he’s keeping his word.
So, LaMarcus visit order again, starting Tue at 9 PDT: LAL, HOU, SA, PHO, DAL, TOR, NYK. (No need 2 meet with POR; they're already offered.)
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) June 30, 2015
Last season, Aldridge averaged a superstar-esque 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the field. He also added a semi-respectable three-point shot to his arsenal, knocking down 35.2 percent of his 1.5 three-point attempts per game. He’d be a terrific pick-and-pop option with Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight and would help the Suns out on the glass.
Phoenix represents the best mix of being the face of the franchise, getting paid and being on a competitive team that fits his playing style from Aldridge’s perspective. That being said, the allure of playing for a franchise like the Knicks or Lakers, the temptation of being closer to home in Dallas and the attraction of playing for a championship caliber team in San Antonio or Houston might outweigh Phoenix’s pitch.
I’d be extremely surprised if San Antonio’s party of Gregg Popovich, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan failed to lock him in. Aldridge would be a great fit in Phoenix, but given his age, it also wouldn’t be the end of the world if the Suns missed out on him amid so much competition.
Next: No. 1
1. Kevin Love
In a perfect world, the Phoenix Suns would find a way to earn Kevin Love’s undivided attention this summer. A lot of people are down on Love right now after his stunning 2013-14 numbers (26.1 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 4.4 APG) dropped drastically in his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers (16.4 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.2 APG).
But Love was taking on a tertiary role and if anyone questions that this guy is an offensive superstar, again: 26.1 PPG, 12.5 RPG and 4.4 APG only a season ago. Love is a superior option to Aldridge not only because he’s only 26 years old, but also because his three-point shot is more established.
Sir Charles In Charge
The pick-and-pop was a highly underutilized element of Cleveland’s offense, but that wouldn’t be the case in Phoenix. His ability to spread the floor as the team’s star stretch-4 would open up driving lanes for Bledsoe and Knight. If Love felt underappreciated or unfairly criticized playing with LeBron James, he’d probably be pretty open to automatically being the face of the Phoenix Suns franchise.
Love is not a great defender and he never led a team to the playoffs once with the Minnesota Timberwolves. But his teammates up north were consistently terrible or injured, and since when do the Suns care about defense? This franchise has historically tailored its roster to high-powered offenses and a run-n-gun style anyway.
An excellent rebounder, scorer and perimeter shooter, Love is the best fit (on paper) the Suns could find in free agency. Without a star to attract other talent, no NBA team can contend for championships. Kevin Love in Phoenix would be a dream come true in that vital first step, even if he’s got his fair share of flaws on the court.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to see him leaving a situation where A) he can get paid an extra $20 million+ and get an extra year on his contract and B) has the luxury of another easy run to the NBA Finals by virtue of playing with the best player in the world in the lowly Eastern Conference. Love would be a dream acquisition, but it’s one that every Suns fan might have to wake up from in the next few weeks.
Next: 5 Reasons Devin Booker Was The Right Pick For The Suns