Statistical expectations for the 2017-18 Suns starters
By Adam Maynes
Point Guard – Eric Bledsoe
Projection – 20.9 points / 4.0 rebounds / 5.7 assists / 1.9 steals
Eric Bledsoe is coming off of his best statistical year of his career in 2016-17. With career-highs in points and assists, at 27, overall Bledsoe’s season was not only a pleasant surprise, but evidence that when healthy he really is one of the better point guards in the league.
This season he will still run the show as he has since coming to Phoenix, however, more offense will flow through Devin Booker preventing him from having further increasing individual stats. While this won’t be a major detriment to his statistical line overall, the downtick in usage will mean that he will not improve upon his points and assists averages, which will instead drop slightly.
Granted, while fans will continue to long for greater assists numbers, his ability to score off of penetration will keep his scoring above 20 points per game which will put him in a rare place in Phoenix Suns history. The last point guard to average over 20 points per game for three consecutive seasons: Kevin Johnson from 1988-91. Prior to KJ, only Charlie Scott from 1972-75 has done it.