Phoenix Suns: Playoffs Should Be The Expectation In 2015-16
New Additions
Landing LaMarcus Aldridge would have propelled the Suns into the upper echelon of Western Conference teams. Ever since Steve Nash left, the biggest area of need for this team has been adding a superstar. The closest Phoenix ever got was Third Team All-NBAer and the league’s Most Improved Player in 2013-14, Goran Dragic, but Nash’s spiritual successor is long gone now.
Still, even after missing out on one of the best three power forwards in the game right now, the Suns addressed their other areas of need with a few signings that weren’t as flashy.
The headliner of the group is obviously Tyson Chandler, which might not impress McDonough’s biggest skeptics since Chandler’s a 32-year-old center signed to a four-year deal. But Chandler is a great fit in Phoenix both on and off the court, especially for a young team that desperately needed veteran leadership last year.
Chandler: “I think it’s very important that you set a culture from Day 1 and that’s what I plan on doing” #Suns
— Valley of the Suns (@ValleyoftheSuns) July 9, 2015
Chandler is an NBA champion, a former All-NBAer and a former Defensive Player of the Year. He averaged a more than respectable 10.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game with the Dallas Mavericks last season and shot 66.6 percent from the floor. He’s no longer in his prime, but Chandler is a high character addition who will provide rebounding, interior defense, locker room leadership, and efficient offense out of the pick and roll.
Chandler figures to address a lot of weak areas of last year’s Suns team, but McDonough did an excellent job rounding out the roster as well. Phoenix was the league’s worst three-point shooting team after the All-Star break, which is why additions like stretch-4 Mirza Teletovic and Sonny Weems should fit right in.
For the Suns to be effective with a dual point guard backcourt, their penetrators need guys to open up driving lanes by spacing the floor as three-point threats. Phoenix is still missing that Channing Frye-type player in its starting five, which is why missing out on the pick-and-pop potential of Aldridge hurts so much. But off the bench, the Suns should enjoy some increased firepower.
The 4 FA additions by the Phoenix Suns: Tyson Chandler, Mirza Teletovic, Ronnie Price and Sonny Weems (h/t @VNdsgn) pic.twitter.com/JrAKItRHpG
— Inside the Sun (@_insidethesun) July 9, 2015
Teletovic only shot 32.1 percent from long range last season, but he was clearly hampered by his health issues that wound up sidelining him for the remainder of the season. The year before, he drilled 39 percent of his 4.8 three-point attempts per game. If he can return the court and be himself again, he’ll be a useful stretch big off the bench.
As for Weems, he could be one of the first guards off the pine for the Suns and he might be able to log time at both the 2 and the 3. He’s only a 24.1 percent shooter from distance during his NBA career, but a few years overseas helped him expand his game to three-point territory. Over the last four years in Euroleague, he shot a respectable 36.8 percent from downtown.
Finally there’s Ronnie Price, a seasoned vet who doesn’t make a lot of mistakes and plays defense. The Suns won’t expect much from him as their new backup point guard, but even though he can’t shoot, his experience and his steadiness will help the Suns keep the ship afloat when Bledsoe or Knight need a breather
Not one of these additions turns the Suns into contenders overnight. But by bolstering the rotation and adding a bonafide double-double machine and floor leader in Tyson Chandler, Phoenix finally has a more appropriate blend of youth, experience, athleticism and shooting.
Next: Internal Development