Tyson Chandler v Alex Len: Centers of the Future

Chandler Pro’s

1. Tyson Chandler is a veteran leader who is willing to do whatever is needed of him, even if it means losing now, if it is what is best for the team and for the players of the future.

2. A defensive rebounding stalwart, Chandler is regularly in the upper strata of the league’s rebounding leaders, and is not only the best on the team this season, but the best rebounder on any Suns team since Charles Barkley.

3. Although not an offensive threat and no longer the insanely athletic leaper that he once was, Chandler is still fast enough down court and can leap well enough to grab alley-oop passes from streaking point guards making him a true fastbreak scoring threat.

4. Under contract through 2019, Chandler’s approx. $13M over the next two seasons is very manageable with the heightening salary cap, especially when taking into consideration the intangibles that he brings to the club – not to mention his on-court contributions.

Chandler Con’s

1. While having a renaissance season of sorts prior to the All-Star break, he will be 35 and 36 over the next two seasons and the Suns cannot be assured that he will be a statistically productive center for the duration. Whether his skills begin to diminish or injuries due to age take their toll, if Alan Williams is not projected to be a starting center, Chandler too cannot be expected to be able to fulfill starting duties over that period without break.

2. Although his contract is manageable now, if the Suns find themselves in play for one or two max-contract free agents, having an expensive player on their roster who does not fit into their timeline of growth is not a luxury the team will be able to afford. There also may come a time where he becomes an un-tradable a commodity, as Brandon Knight currently is, forcing Phoenix management to make a financial decision in other ways that they do not want to do (such as packaging him up with a young player or first-round pick they would rather keep just to move him).

3. Diminishing value is also a direct correlation to diminishing returns. Chandler is averaging a career-high 15.0 rebounds this season per-36 minutes. In 2016-17 the stars aligned and he was able to put together a season that often bordered on the spectacular. But as he is such a one dimensional player already, and aging, he cannot be expected to repeat the kind of rebounding stats that he put together this season, next year. Thus, if the Suns hold onto him into next season and he does not reproduce this years production, his value in trade will take a significant hit. Especially with his second half benching, the consideration of this being a time of maximum value must be taken seriously.