What’s next for former Suns guard Archie Goodwin?

The former Phoenix Suns player is once again without a team. Could he be considered a bust or is it he just in need of more time to develop?

Let’s get this out of the way. I’ve been an Archie Goodwin fan since day one. If you ask anyone that knows me they’ll tell you. I was in the camp of people that said all he needed was a chance. He just needs some consistent playing time. And yes, I still feel this way for the most part. But, over the past few years, watching him as a Sun or trying to catch a game when he played for New Orleans, Brooklyn, or most recently Portland, I’ve noticed one glaring issue: a lack of growth.

Goodwin came into the league as one of the youngest players in the 2013 NBA Draft. Athletically gifted but extremely raw, Goodwin was considered a work in progress. During his first two years with the Phoenix Suns, he spent a few stints (5 games in 2013-14 and 9 games in 14-15) in the NBA Developmental League where he put his potential on full display, albeit playing against lesser talent. Unfortunately, that potential has never fully transitioned to the NBA.

Goodwin has the ability to be an elite slasher. He has a knack for getting to the rim all. During the 13-14 season, 72.3% of his shots came from within 10ft or less of the basket. All while shooting 55.8%. In 14-15 his numbers dropped some. He took 65.8% of his shots from 10ft or less shooting 45%. In the 15-16 season his frequency from 10ft or less remained roughly the same at 65.7%, but he was then able to bump his percentage back up to 49.3%.

His issue has always been his shooting. He averaged 13.9%, 29.3% and 23.5% from three during his three years with the Suns. For a shooting guard those are terrible numbers.

Archie’s Obstacles and Options

In the case of Goodwin, his physical gifts may be his biggest obstacle in becoming a more complete player. Goodwin relies on his athleticism far too much in order to score and may be over confident in his abilities. This leads to a possible maturity issue. Over his four years as an NBA player, he has yet to improve year over year. He is still a liability defensively and doesn’t make up for it on the offensive end. His shot selection is iffy at best outside of the paint and he can be a black hole at times. Although his buzzer beater against the Hawks in 2016 was great, it was still an ill-advised shot.

Because of these inconsistencies, the Phoenix Suns ended up parting ways with Goodwin at the beginning of the 16-17 season. He spent time with New Orleans and Brooklyn but was unable to hold a roster spot. Currently not signed to a team, this may be the perfect time for the Suns to bring him back, although not necessarily with the Suns.

He would be a great fit with the Northern Arizona Suns and bring some veteran leadership as well while polishing out his game. A full season as an NAZ Sun could be just what he needs to develop into a great off the bench option in the NBA. It would allow him the ability to put in starter type minutes against players that are on the edge of NBA talent.

His other option would be to take his talents overseas for a few years. The level of talent has gotten far better in recent years and many players who don’t make an NBA roster go overseas and are able to come back and have solid careers in the NBA. P.J. Tucker is a great example of this. I would love to see Goodwin in a Suns Jersey again. It would be a great redemption story for a young player who only needs to realize his fit in the NBA.