14. How many additional first round picks will Ryan McDonough acquire this season for the Phoenix Suns?
There are upwards of four players that are most discussed as possible trade bait this upcoming season: Chandler, Knight, Tucker, Goodwin, any one of whom could potentially bring a first round pick back in return in the right package. (Just to be clear, I’m not saying a high lottery pick. Tucker to the Cavs for the 32nd pick isn’t a ridiculous notion.)
Depending on if, when, and in what size of a package any of those four players (and potentially others) are traded, first round picks could definitely sweeten the deal for the Suns if they pick up a bad contract in return, end of the bench players, or no players at all.
So if McDonough is 100% bought in that the best way to rebuild is through the draft, then do not be surprised if he manages to acquire one or more first round picks this season to compliment the pick that the Suns already own.
13. The Suns ranked near the bottom of the league in blocks. Can Earl Watson develop a defensive scheme that gets Len, Chandler, and Bender in positions to get more blocks around the basket?
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Tyson Chandler has lost a step; Earl Watson believes that what is holding Alex Len back is between the ears; Dragan Bender is not a fan of banging around down low; and yet they are each over 7 feet tall, capable of building a forest in the paint defensively in a lineup that features the three of them in the middle.
Once a defensive stalwart, Chandler averaged a career low 1.0 blocks per 36 minutes last season. Alex Len averaged 1.2 blocks per 36 minutes in his third season in the league, although it was less than half what he averaged the year prior, and a career low.
Somehow the two giants managed to cancel each other out on the defensive end preventing either of them from getting the blocks that centers with their height and athleticism should easily be able to obtain.
Now, there are many factors that allow a center to average 2+ blocks per game, including the defensive effort of the other players on the court. Outside of Eric Bledsoe, Suns guards are rarely known as good defenders, which generally leads to easy access of the lane via guard penetration. When this happens Suns centers are left on an island and are less likely to face a layup because of kickouts, which completely negates the physical superiority of Chandler, Len, and Bender.