The Suns Must Sign One Of These Free Agents This Summer
Free agency is going to be the most important part of the offseason for the Phoenix Suns. They need to add a superstar to supplement their young roster if contention in the league is to be met, especially in the much more difficult Western Conference.
The dominant event in the NBA at the moment Semifinals the playoffs, wrapped in its own tapestry of interesting storylines following the even more captivating first round. Meanwhile, fourteen teams, including our Phoenix Suns, sit on the sidelines waiting for a champion to be crowned. But fortune does not only reside with these playoff teams. The Suns have an opportunity to improve their roster significantly over the next few months. Who could they get back from an Eric Bledsoe trade? Would a team be willing to give up one formidable player for him? Sure, but we’ll leave that topic in speculation, for now.
Then there’s the draft, in which Phoenix could obtain one of a number of talented players, including Markelle Fultz, Josh Jackson, Lonzo Ball, DeAaron Fox, Jayson Tatum, or anyone else you might want to be considered in the who’s who of the 2017 class—it’s a long list this year. But after we find our rookie darling free agency opens up. Suns GM Ryan McDonough, in an interview with The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski last season, was optimistic about 2017 free agency:
"“Potentially, it’s a very strong free agent class next year. And one of the things we’ve done with our contracts is we’ve lined them up to have max cap space next year without really touching the core of our roster… I think and I hope at this time next year, we’re major players in free agency. Because as you mentioned, the Phoenix Suns are a destination franchise.” Destination franchise! Don’t you like the sound of that? I think it’s true, too. Phoenix has one of the youngest rosters in the league, with three players in Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis and Marquese Chriss that have an immensely high ceiling. As far as free agency goes, there are the BIG names– Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo – but these guys will most likely re-sign with their current teams. Right below them there are a group of players that, despite their potential price tag, need to be targeted by the Suns. Here are five of those players. Next: Blake Griffin Blake Griffin April 18, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) moves the ball against Utah Jazz guard George Hill (3) during the first half in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Blake Griffin has worked hard to become a premiere player in this league. You could argue that he hit his prime in the 2013-14 season, where he averaged 24.1 points per game and 9.1 rebounds, both career highs. The 28-year-old forward, who has spent his entire career with the Clippers, could re-sign with Los Angeles in the summer. Griffin has a $21 million player option next season, but he could leave it on the table now that his team, for a sixth consecutive year, did not make it past the second round. Considering his untimely exit out of the first round with an injury to his big toe, and the fact that he’s spent so many years on a talented team that has never made it to the Western Conference Finals, Blake could put himself in the middle of the FA market. So how could he help this Phoenix Suns team? Having Blake as our starting power forward would open up the offense big time. Griffin is a player that can more or less do it all: space the floor for open jumpers, pass the ball effectively, and post up when called upon. With Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis, or potentially a talented rookie guard in the backcourt to assist him, signing Griffin could fill a hole in the starting five, as well as give the Suns a new layer of depth. Could you imagine Marquese Chriss backing up Blake Griffin? It would be the ultimate one-two punch! I truly hope that Ryan McDonough and the Suns front office pursue Blake as a top priority free agent signing this summer. Next: Gordon Hayward Gordon Hayward April 18, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Gordon Hayward, bounding from ho-hum status to becoming an All-Star reserve in the blink of an eye, has become the go-to guy for the Utah Jazz, especially in their first round series against the Clippers. Hayward has a $16 million player option next year in his current contract. Yes, I know you’ve heard that he could reunite with his college coach in Boston. He could be a good fit for his hometown Pacers. Or, he can join a team with some players that are… under 25! Sorry Myles Turner and/or Jaylen Brown. The small forward position is a hole to be filled in the Suns’ roster, with all due respect to T.J. Warren. Barring a draft pick involving Kansas’ lottery forward Josh Jackson, Hayward could bring this team together with his intense leadership qualities and overall skill-set that he has brought to Utah. This one is a long-shot now that Hayward has had a taste of the postseason, but who’s to say the Suns couldn’t be a playoff team next season with a versatile player like him on our team? I say, let’s go for it. Next: Paul Millsap Paul Millsap Apr 6, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) reacts after a play during their game against the Boston Celtics at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 123-116. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports Paul Millsap is set to be one of the hottest free agents out there this summer. Considering the shake-up in the front office that just occurred in Atlanta, Millsap is looking for a way out. Paul has a $21 million player option next season, but will he pick it up after another early exit from the playoffs and, at the moment, a now GM and thus, not apperent direction for the franchise? No, he won’t. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Millsap wants to stay with his Hawks but will opt out and see what’s out there for him. In fact, he said it himself: “I think we all know the answer to do that,” Millsap said when asked directly about his intention. He later added, “Eventually I probably will opt out, yes. But I want to be here. I think talks have been pretty good, so we’ll see what happens.” Millsap is the oldest member of my little wish list, but I don’t consider that an issue. At 32, Paul is still physical, tough, has a great jump shot, and an incredibly high basketball IQ to boot. He could add so much talent and veteran leadership to the Phoenix Suns. Out of all of the players mentioned, I think this signing would be the most beneficial to us. Phoenix already has good shooters, right? With the potential to add another in the draft? Can you imagine what the offense would be like with a shooter like Millsap? They’d be getting buckets at every position! Remember the one-two punch with Griffin and Marquese? This would be even better! Start Millsap for good offense, then sub him out for Chriss who can bring big power and defense. McDonough and the Suns should really consider offering Paul Millsap a contract. Next: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Mar 24, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) shoots against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Let’s shift gears a bit. We’ve talked about the forwards, who all happen to be on the wrong side of twenty-five and beyond, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a 24-year-old guard who has played entirely for the Detroit Pistons thus far, is becoming a formidable two-way player. Although his PPG dropped from 2016 to 2017, he had an increase in assists per game and free throw shooting, and only recently had a birthday. In other words, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (who happens to have one of my favorite names in the NBA) has a lot of room to grow, and shows a lot of potential. Now, you may be thinking, shut up, crazy! We don’t need any guards! Don’t we? We might have two young, talented guards in Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis, but depth never hurt anyone. Why not pull a D’Antoni, sign KCP, start him at point guard, and have Ulis as his backup? Also, KCP is much better on defense than either Booker or Ulis. I stand by the fact that depth is the key to a contending roster, and this move would help that philosophy along immensely. KCP has a $4 million qualifying offer next season, but with the way the Detroit Pistons are trending I don’t see why he wouldn’t want to leave. In the end, however, this is easier said than done. There are reports that the Brooklyn Nets want to offer Caldwell-Pope a max deal in July, which would potentially come up to $103 million over four years. He’s worth it, and if the Suns can match that, I think Kentavious could see himself in a Suns uniform. Next: Kyle Lowry Kyle Lowry May 3, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) reacts in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game two of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports LeBron James and the Cavaliers just finished their dominating sweep of the Toronto Raptors in the second round last night. Demar DeRozan said in a press conference following the loss that the Raptors would have won if LeBron was on their team, which is fair considering the monster postseason he is having. His teammate Kyle Lowry also commented on LeBron, and, according to Marc Stein of ESPN, “late-season rumbles that Kyle Lowry will give legit thought to a free-agent switch to the West are sure to rise in volume after this series.” The West, eh? We’re in the West! Once again, you’re probably thinking this would be a bad signing. We have guards, could be drafting another guard, et cetera. To that, I argue depth. In the possibl occurrence that Phoenix drafts a forward in June, we could easily start Kyle Lowry. He’s faster than Eric Bledsoe, and plays better defense than Tyler Ulis, so I think it’s a no-brainer. There could be a case made for Ulis starting next year after his terrific performance at the end of last season, but I think having a veteran point guard on the team to backup and learn from, like he did with Bledsoe last year, would help his development a lot. More from Valley of the Suns Ranking the Phoenix Suns’ 5 holiday games in 2023-24 Zion Williamson gets compared to Phoenix Suns legend Suns player preview: Bol Bol can be the perfect role player Former Suns’ guard shows he is officially done with Phoenix NBA insider guarantees Suns’ rival won’t make blockbuster trade Lowry’s PPG has risen every since he’s been in the league and, at 31, is still improving his game. I think he’s hit a wall with Toronto. They were somehow better in the playoffs last year without the defensive prowesses of Serge Ibaka or PJ Tucker. How that happened is beyond my understanding. I think if Kyle doesn’t pick up his player option, and Phoenix ends up trading Eric Bledsoe or drafting a forward, this is their go to free agent signing. The bottom line is that the Phoenix Suns need to bolster their roster. The veterans we have now are not leading this team to victory, and adding anyone of the free agents mentioned, veteran or not, would truly be a huge contribution to help out the young talent we have now. The ball is in your court, McDonough.“Potentially, it’s a very strong free agent class next year. And one of the things we’ve done with our contracts is we’ve lined them up to have max cap space next year without really touching the core of our roster… I think and I hope at this time next year, we’re major players in free agency. Because as you mentioned, the Phoenix Suns are a destination franchise.”“I think we all know the answer to do that,” Millsap said when asked directly about his intention. He later added, “Eventually I probably will opt out, yes. But I want to be here. I think talks have been pretty good, so we’ll see what happens.”"