Report: Suns Considering Starting T.J. Warren?
The training camp battle for minutes off the bench between shooting guards Sonny Weems, Archie Goodwin and rookie Devin Booker is one of the biggest unknowns heading into the start of the 2015-16 season for the Phoenix Suns, but according to a report, there are signs that starting small forward could be in play too.
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As reported by the Arizona Republic’s Paul Coro, there’s a chance that T.J. Warren could work his way into the starting rotation over the incumbent, P.J. Tucker:
"“The most open competitions are at backup shooting guard and backup power forward but Friday’s peek into a part of scrimmage gave a hint that second-year small forward T.J. Warren is being considered to start instead of P.J. Tucker.“Warren closed the Friday practice on a team with expected starters Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Markieff Morris and Tyson Chandler, although Suns coach Jeff Hornacek brushed off the lineup significance by noting how it is just one of many looks the Suns take on during preseason practices.”"
To be fair (and as Coro notes), the fact that Warren got a few reps in with the starters doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Tucker will more than likely be the starter on opening night, unless Warren has been kicking his ass every day in training camp unbeknownst to the world.
But for the sake of being thorough, let’s assume it means something that Warren has — to the world’s knowledge — been the only bench player to log time with the projected starting five at training camp and run with it.
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We’ve already covered the question of whether the Suns’ second-year forward deserves to start over Tucker, we’ve examined Tucker’s underrated role on this team and we’ve taken a look at why this could be a breakout season for Warren in 2015-16, but for those who have missed it, here’s a quick refresher on the pros and cons of each scenario.
With Tucker in the starting lineup, the Suns know what they’re getting: tough, hard-nosed defense, vital hustle plays down the stretch of games, clutch rebounding from the 3 and the occasional corner three-pointer. He won’t ever be an All-Star, and at age 30, he might not ever be much better than he is right now.
However, with another year under Eric Bledsoe’s belt and the addition of Tyson Chandler, Phoenix has a chance to field a top-1o defense this season, and that probably won’t happen without Tucker holding things down on the wing — or wherever else Hornacek puts him, since Tucker guarded everyone from Stephen Curry to DeMarcus Cousins last year.
If T.J. Warren starts, the Suns will be getting a head start on his development. Tucker won’t be around forever (he has only one fully guaranteed year left on his contract) and at age 22, the Suns’ 2014 lottery pick represents the future of the small forward position for Phoenix. Considering what we’ve seen from him over the last few months, that future could be very bright indeed.
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Though Warren’s rookie stat line –6.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 52.8 FG%, 23.8 3P% — won’t blow anyone away, those numbers were slightly skewed since he hardly played until after the All-Star break. Once he cracked Hornacek’s rotation, Warren averaged 7.8 points and 2.8 rebounds (on 55 percent shooting) in 19.5 minutes per game following the trade deadline.
He’s not nearly as good on defense as Tucker is, nor is he as versatile. But Warren held his own in limited minutes at NBA Summer League as a small-ball 4, and although he may not spread the floor as a three-point shooter, he’s put in the work over the summer to improve both his defensive rotations and outside shooting. If there’s a noticeable difference, Warren could easily make this a year-long battle.
Last season, Warren’s field goal percentage ranked third among rookies who attempted at least 100 shots, so his knack for putting the ball in the basket is apparent. Another year under his belt with improvement in all of those areas is an encouraging proposition.
There’s no rush to start Warren, since his time will come. Tucker on the wing gives the Suns a chance to be an elite defense in 2015-16, something that’s been a focus for this team all summer. But no matter who starts, the good news for Phoenix Suns is that we’re already considering this possibility, which only further reinforces the vast promise T.J. Warren holds.
Next: Can Good Chemistry Get The Suns Back To The Playoffs?