Valley of the Suns
Fansided

Scouts in Sports Illustrated RIPPED the Phoenix Suns

By Adam Maynes

PHOENIX, AZ - SEPTEMBER 25: Eric Bledsoe #2, Josh Jackson #20, Head Coach Earl Watson, and Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns pose for a portrait at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - SEPTEMBER 25: Eric Bledsoe #2, Josh Jackson #20, Head Coach Earl Watson, and Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns pose for a portrait at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Let’s get one thing out of the way: no one expects the Phoenix Suns to be good in 2017-18. But that’s the point.

At some point last season the decision makers of the franchise decided that it was time to reboot and rebuild by tanking, and they did. Spectacularly. But if you consider the All-Star break as the moment where the tank officially took full hold, the Suns have really only been tanking for 25 games. If they hold to the formula that they ended the season with, 2017-18 will be the first full season of actual tanking.

Should the Suns have gone out and signed an older, expensive free agent, or traded young talent and future picks for a star player who might have zero interest in being here long term?

Hell no. That’s not only bad business, but bad management of assets.

Owner Robert Sarver and General Manager Ryan McDonough decided they were going to go all in on the youth movement, stick to the draft, and presumably, when these young players begin to develop into the talented players they are expected to be – and the Suns get at least one more after next summer’s draft – then they will start to seek the services of other talented players from outside the franchise to fill out a playoff competitive roster that way.

That all being said, Sports Illustrated released a preview of the entire NBA through the eyes of anonymous scouts. These scouts discussed what they see across the league and essentially explained to readers what they would tell the clubs that they work for about the state of the other franchise’s around the league.

Their honesty about the Suns is both disconcerting, and based on my explanation above, partially misguided.

Let’s see where these scouts got this right, or totally got it wrong:

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