Ahh yes, that time of year when NBA player rankings that are arbitrary, completely defendable and inflammatory all at once begin to come out! Though there’s really no way to qualify the merits of a list ranking the best 100 players in the NBA, it’s always fun to debate where each player “should” be with nothing but time to kill before training camp begins.
Should Player A have been higher? How did Player B get a higher ranking than Player C? Are you crazy, Player D should DEFINITELY be higher! You know, crap like that.
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In Sports Illustrated’s list of the Top 100 NBA Players of 2016, four members of the Phoenix Suns made the cut so far. However, no one else from the Suns’ roster is going to be making the cut as the list progresses into the 20s over the next few days.
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Eric Bledsoe was the highest ranked Suns player at No. 33 — the exact same spot he was ranked last year. Coming off a season in which he averaged 17.0 points, 6.1 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, the 25-year-old Bledsoe has had a feel-good summer that could pay off in 2015-16.
As Phoenix’s best player, Bledsoe will need to step up as more of a leader next season for the Suns to make the playoffs. Here’s what Sports Illustrated had to say about him:
"“Eric Bledsoe is a point guard, unless you’d rather him be a shooting guard. A shot creator, unless you’d prefer that he be a cutter. A counter to opposing ballhandlers, unless he’s needed to lock and trail elsewhere. That elasticity is rooted in truly remarkable athleticism.“A 6’1” guard shouldn’t be able to bend between positions and responsibilities so easily as Bledsoe does, yet in the case of a miniature bulldozer who moves like a blur, most traditional rules seem not to apply.”"
For reference, former Suns point guard Goran Dragic was ranked No. 42, nine spots behind Bledsoe.
Closely behind Bledsoe in the rankings is the newly acquired Tyson Chandler, who will be starting ahead of/mentoring third-year center Alex Len this season. Chandler averaged 10.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game for the Dallas Mavericks last year and was signed to a four-year, $52 million contract this summer by the Suns.
Here’s what SI had to say about Chandler, who moved up from No. 39 last year to No. 36 this summer:
"“Phoenix pursued Chandler this summer in part because, as GM Ryan McDonough tells it, the Suns had heard through the grapevine that then-free agent LaMarcus Aldridge had always wanted to play with him. And why wouldn’t he? Chandler is the kind of teammate any competitor would love: fiery, relentless and deeply disciplined.“The worst that can be said of Chandler is his play sometimes teeters with nagging injury. Playing the way Chandler does brings its share of strains and tweaks, the sum of which can tax a terrific two-way center to lesser form.”"
Suns fans might not be as high on Markieff Morris right now, but Sports Illustrated had some nice things to say about him when they ranked him 64th overall:
"“It was the best of times and it was the worst of times for Markieff Morris in 2014–15, as Phoenix’s scoring-minded stretch power forward reached new heights statistically but also ran afoul of the law and lost his beloved twin brother, Marcus, to Detroit in a trade.“The 25-year-old Morris is, at heart, a brash gamer: he’s missed just four games during his four-year career, and he seeks the ball in clutch situations, ranking fifth in the NBA in points scored during the final minute of a one-possession game. A tough all-around cover for defenders due to his combination of mobility and strength, Morris relies heavily on his comfort in the mid-range and perimeter to generate his scoring opportunities, but he can also create a shot for himself in one-on-one situations and overpower smaller defenders going to the basket.“Morris graded out well defensively last season, ranking sixth among power forwards in Defensive Real Plus-Minus, and his frame suits him well here too: he’s physical and competitive enough to make post-minded fours work for their points, and yet he’s quick and agile enough to track players out to the arc.”"
Morris was unranked last year, but made his way onto the list after averaging career highs in scoring (15.3 PPG), rebounding (6.2 RPG), assists (2.3 APG) and steals (1.2 SPG) last season.
Rounding out the list of Suns players was Brandon Knight, who made the list at No. 79. Knight’s value here was likely hurt by his underwhelming time in Phoenix after the NBA trade deadline, during which he averaged 13.4 points, 4.5 assists and 2.1 rebounds in only 11 games:
"“Knight’s numbers fell off a cliff when he was traded to the Suns, as he dealt with an ankle injury that would end his season in mid-March and require surgery in April.“Despite that inauspicious beginning in the desert, and lingering questions about his fit alongside Eric Bledsoe, Knight nevertheless received a gigantic seal of approval from Suns GM Ryan McDonough in the form of a five-year, $70 million contract in July. Those five months certainly qualify as a disorienting rollercoaster.”"
P.J. Tucker was the only member of the Phoenix Suns’ projected starting five to miss the cut, while Alex Len also failed to make the list. Former Suns guard Isaiah Thomas made Sports Illustrated’s Top 100 at No. 88. Let the debates that have no possible final resolution begin!
Next: Suns Column: Patience The Best Approach With Markieff Morris