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Phoenix Suns: Can Sonny Weems Be The Next Gerald Green?

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Gerald Green (14) reacts after dunking the ball after rebounding the ball off the backboard to himself in the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Gerald Green (14) reacts after dunking the ball after rebounding the ball off the backboard to himself in the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Phoenix Suns
Mar 13, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Gerald Green (14) warms up prior to facing the Atlanta Hawks at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

The Green-Weems Connection

Between his instant heat checks off the bench, his gravity-defying dunks and his infectious celebrations, it’s no wonder that the Four-Fingered Assassin quickly became a fan favorite in the Valley of the Sun. Against all odds (and understandable shot selection), Green was a vocal leader who found a direct path to Suns’ fans hearts.

But with dual point guards and the 2014-15 season all but lost, Green’s value plummeted. His shooting was already down from the year before, his defense was regularly an issue and as it became clearer that Phoenix’s postseason hopes were slipping away, getting more minutes to T.J. Warren and Archie Goodwin became the priority.

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    • But even with Green set to be an unrestricted free agent and his future with the Suns in doubt, fans were delighted in the rare instances when G-Air-ld checked into games and started letting shots fly. With the Green Machine off to fill a more regular role with the Miami Heat next season, this Phoenix fan favorite never really got a proper sendoff.

    For the Suns’ long-term development, getting Warren, Goodwin and/or Devin Booker as many minutes as possible should be a priority to replace Green’s minutes. But for a team seeking to end a five-year playoff drought, Weems seems like the most intriguing prospect as a guy who can come in, knock down a few threes and possibly even throw down a thundering dunk or two. Sound familiar?

    In 128 appearances with the Toronto Raptors (including 47 starts), Weems averaged 8.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. In November 2010, Weems scored a career-high 25 points, so his ceiling can only be so high.At 29 years old, he’s more or less the player he’s going to be already, which may not sound reassuring for a guy who hasn’t played in the NBA since 2011.

    But after spending the last four years overseas, Weems is hardly the same player that he was back then. For those who are still unfamiliar with Weems, there’s a good chance the 2015-16 season could help change all that.

    Next: Three-Point Shooting

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