How the Phoenix Suns can win the offseason
By Andrew Clark
Free Agency:
The Suns should be able to enter the free agent period with their own roster moves basically sown up meaning free agency becomes a simple task of taking some calculated risks. It’s unlikely the Suns can win big here, but they should be able to get a few nice pieces on the cheap. Some specific suggestions:
7. Swing for the fences on an offer to a restricted free agent on a team over the cap such as Aaron Gordon, Clint Capela, and Jusuf Nurkic.
8. Try to sign a defensive-oriented guard such as Avery Bradley or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
9. Sign a sharp shooting big like Brook Lopez or Channing Frye
10. Overpay Mario Henzonja
The Suns would almost certainly strike out by going for option 7, but it’d be worth the few days of lost cap space to take a shot. If nothing else, they can put Houston or Portland into a spending hole so painful that they can’t climb out of it when the Suns become competitive.
Signing a defensive guard would allow the Suns to move Booker to playmaker when needed while bringing in a backup guard who can compensate for his defensive weakness. Bradley and KCP both expected big money this offseason, but they’re unlikely to find much more than $13-$14 million a year.
The Suns have missed having a big who can shoot. Frye made that team with Bledsoe and Dragic dangerous because you couldn’t guard a slashing point guard who can drop it off to the screener for a wide open 3. With Knight and Payton likely on the team next year, they need a big who can spread the floor and both Frye and Lopez should come in around $5-$7 million a year.
Lastly the Suns could and should look at overpaying for Henzonja. Even as an overpay, Super Mario should come cheap. If the Suns lose out on another guard through the draft or free agency, being able to pair the 6’8″ guard with Booker would make for a sizable and skilled back court. The Magic declined to pick up his open and so he’s an unrestricted free agent. Given the chance to finally play, he has blossomed. In his last 10 games, he is averaging 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals a game. If the Suns do draft Doncic, having a continual rotation of Booker, Doncic, and Henzonja would be enough size and skill to drive opposing coaches mad. It’s a cheap risk worth taking.