With training camp less than a month away, the Phoenix Suns must focus on better ball movement during camp if the team wants to continue to improve.
A young rebuilding team will always have several areas to improve upon. The Phoenix Suns are no exception to this rule. Fans always had several things to complain about when the team played. On any given night it could have been one or a couple of things such as the team’s ball movement, defense, or lack of consistent 3-point threat. Head coach Earl Watson is surely to work on all of these deficiencies, but the young coach needs to focus on improving the team’s ball movement during training camp.
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Arguments very easily could be made that the teams needs to focus on either defense or outside shooting. However, the team’s 27th ranked 3-point percentage is bound to improve with better ball movement. Focusing on defense is much harder to provide a valid counter point, but the team already has shown more dedication to defense by drafting two-way wing Josh Jackson with the fourth overall pick in this past draft. Another counter point is that if the Phoenix Suns really wanted to tank they could have traded defensive veterans Tyson Chandler and Jared Dudley, but they have yet to do so. Dudley and Chandler help develop a defensive culture in Phoenix. With Jackson and another year learning from the two veterans, the team is bound to improve on the defensive side of the ball.
Ball movement is clearly the best thing the young team and coach should focus on improving during training camp for several reasons. Teams that do not share the ball generally do not win games. Last season three out of five teams that were last in assists per game were in the lottery in this past draft. Fans need to realize that the Phoenix Suns were ranked second to last in team assists last season. If the team improves on assists, then the team will have a better flowing offense. The team is already ranked ninth in total points per game, so if the team can improve on its assist numbers, then the offensive efficiency and production will only improve as well.
On the flip side of the coin, if the team can improve its ball movement skills than the team will cut down on turnovers. Last season the team was 27th in turnovers with 15.4 per game. It is tough for a team to win a game averaging around 15 turnovers per game. If the Phoenix Suns can improve its ball movement during training camp, it is bound to cut down on turnovers as well. Less turnovers will prevent less easy baskets and allow the Suns to score more as well as set up on defense more often.
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Ball movement will help the Phoenix Suns in so many aspects of the game this upcoming season. Hopefully, head coach Watson will make the right call during training camp and focus on developing the offense to have more ball movement as well as develop the team’s ball movement skills.