It’s Always Sonny In Phoenix
On a two-year, $5.8 million deal (with a second-year option), Sonny Weems will be bringing his talents back to the NBA for the first time since 2011.
Weems, who turned 29 on the same day he agreed to a contract with the Suns, is an explosive leaper who can throw down some hearty dunks. But he also worked hard to improve the other elements of his game over the last few years overseas, focusing on his defense and three-point shooting.
Over the last four years in Euroleague, Weems converted 36.8 percent of his three-point attempts and shot 49.2 percent from the field overall. He was Europe’s highest paid player and one of the best small forwards playing overseas.
Like the Sonny Weems signing for PHX. Per 40 pace #s for CSKA last year (57 games, VTB/Euroleague): 20 PTS, 5.4 REB, 5.7 AST, 46 2P%, 40 3P%
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) July 8, 2015
With Weems’ 6’6″ frame and athleticism, he’s capable of logging minutes off the bench as a 2 or a 3. There are some concerns about him taking minutes away from Archie Goodwin, Devin Booker and/or T.J. Warren, but Weems provides perimeter shooting for a team that was the NBA’s worst three-point shooting squad after the All-Star break last year.
In July 2012, Weems signed a three-year contract with CSKA Moscow. Over three seasons there, Weems averaged 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in 166 games with CSKA Moscow (Euroleague and VTB United League) and was seen as one of the team’s leaders.
Weems averaged 8.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in 128 appearances with the Raptors, including 47 starts. He has the potential to replace Gerald Green as a fan favorite off the bench, but even if he doesn’t pan out, his contract represents a tiny percentage of the team’s cap room and he won’t eat up any future cap space on a two-year deal.
Grade: C+
Next: The Price Was Right