Finding The Right Balance
Bearing all this in mind, how often can Suns fans expect to see their two centers on the court together in 2015-16? At this point in time, it feels like Phoenix’s first ever Twin Towers lineup is little more than a gimmick to be used in rare situations, much like the triple point guard lineups were last season.
That could easily change if Len has suddenly added a three-point shot to his game, but that seems highly unlikely after just one summer of fine-tuning his range. A midrange shot might be enough to free up Chandler rolling to the rim in pick-and-roll sets, but until Len starts drilling open threes, it’s hard to see that lineup thriving without enough spacing to keep defenses honest.
On the defensive end, the Suns’ Twin Towers formation would immediately become one of the best rebounding units in the league, but they’d struggle to defend the perimeter with either Len or Chandler having to extend out to at least the midrange. Against teams with stretch-4s, it’s hard to imagine how Hornacek would compensate for that lineup’s lack of versatility.
Against a team like the Memphis Grizzlies, this kind of lineup could be fun to watch. Who doesn’t want to see Len and Chandler go toe-to-toe with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph down low, especially since the Suns haven’t had the size or strength to combat that monstrous frontcourt duo over the last few seasons?
Getting Alex Len as many minutes as possible in such a formative season should be a priority, and at age 32, the Suns shouldn’t be riding Chandler too hard either. But this lineup would definitely be a work in progress until Len is a proven, efficient perimeter shooter (or until Markieff Morris is traded and no better option presents itself to replace him in the starting five).
For the sake of making the playoffs, the Twin Towers lineup should only be utilized sparingly.
Next: 5 Goals For T.J. Warren In 2015-16