The most exciting days of free agency are long gone. With the dog days of August now upon us, the makeup of every team’s roster is pretty much set in stone. But for the Phoenix Suns, the start of training camp may arrive with plenty of accompanying questions a few weeks from now.
At the forefront of the discussion is what will become of Markieff Morris. Following an offseason trade that shipped his brother Marcus Morris to Detroit, Keef stated his intention to be traded before the season starts. Whether Phoenix gives in to those demands is irrelevant; all that matters right now is there is a toxic relationship between the Suns and their starting power forward.
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However the situation pans out, there’s a significant chance it doesn’t end up with Markieff Morris deciding to happily lace up his sneakers for the Suns in 2015-16. If he is traded, holds out or is suspended without pay following actions that are detrimental to the team, Phoenix may need its reserve power forwards to step up in a big way.
Right now, the depth chart behind Keef looks like Mirza Teletovic (a stretch-4 playing on a one-year contract after missing a chunk of the 2014-15 season because of blood clots in his lung) and Jon Leuer (a stretch-4 who has failed to find his niche in the NBA thus far). In other words, the Suns had better nab a starting-caliber power forward in any potential Morris trade.
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Heading into training camp, there’s uncertainty surrounding the 4 spot. The Suns would be wise to hold on to Keef rather than trade him while his value is at its lowest, but nothing is guaranteed at this point. If Morris is a cancer in the locker room, a trade or suspending him without pay would represent the best chemotherapy, but it’d still leave the Suns with a sizable hole in the rotation.
This summer’s best free agents are no longer on the table. The Suns learned that the hard way, since their Marcus Morris trade was really just a part of a larger gamble for LaMarcus Aldridge. But if the front office feels the need to add some depth to the power forward position, the best insurance might also be the best remaining free agent — Carlos Boozer.
I know what you’re thinking. Boozer’s washed up! Why would the young Suns want a 33-year-old big who hasn’t been relevant for over a year and is so unwanted right now he’s considering playing in China next season? Okay, so maybe your thoughts weren’t as elaborate as all that, but you get the point — Boozer’s not exactly in high demand right now.
Hearing Carlos Boozer, arguably top UFA still available, is intrigued by interest he's getting from China but still angling for new NBA home
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 21, 2015
And yet, if Boozer can be swayed into accepting an NBA deal worth the veteran minimum and turning down more lucrative offers from China, I’m sitting firmly in the “why the hell not?” camp. Boozer’s value has never been lower, a process that began with the Chicago Bulls amnestying him last summer and culminated after a year of playing for the irrelevant Los Angeles Lakers.
Why not capitalize on that low value with a training camp deal that might actually result in that player earning a roster spot? (No offense, Terrico White and Kyle Casey.)
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As of right now, the Suns have 13 players on guaranteed contracts, leaving two roster spots open. Last year in L.A., Boozer averaged 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds in 23.8 minutes per game. His defense is still atrocious, but would the Suns really be that opposed to having some kind of insurance in case this Markieff situation gets any worse?
Teletovic should be a great fit in the Suns’ offense as a power forward who can spread the floor with a three-point shot. The year before his injury-ravaged 2014-15 season, Teletovic drilled 39 percent of his threes. Leuer hasn’t found his groove yet, but perhaps he’d be a better fit in Phoenix than he was in Memphis, where he struggled to find minutes in a loaded and deep frontcourt.
That being said, neither one of those players is a great rebounder or interior defender. Teletovic is undersized and Leuer isn’t much of a rim deterrent despite being 6’10”. Boozer’s range on offense only extends to midrange jumpers, but he’d help the Suns on the glass and could be decent insurance in case this Morris situation continues to head south.
Carlos Boozer wouldn’t help the Phoenix Suns’ suddenly promising defense, nor would his hypothetical arrival make Keef expendable. If the Suns were to add Boozer to help replace Morris, the 13-year-veteran wouldn’t even start over Teletovic anyway.
But he’d add some locker room leadership, veteran experience and loud rebounding numbers — literally, since he infamously yells, “GIMME THAT S**T!” on every rebound he pulls down — to a team that could use help in all those areas.
I mean, can you imagine Boozer and Tyson Chandler sporting matching facial hair and leading the league in instances of lovable frontcourt trash talk? And wouldn’t Phoenix’s improved defensive personnel help hide Boozer’s defensive flaws?
It’s no secret that signing Carlos Boozer would not be a very sexy transaction. But instead of only signing players to bolster the Bakersfield Jam’s roster with training camp deals, general manager Ryan McDonough should at least consider adding Boozer on a minimum deal as frontcourt insurance.
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