Next Up Part 1: Who the Phoenix Suns should cut

Four months ago, I wrote about how the Phoenix Suns could win the offseason. You can find that here. Ryan McDonough didn’t quite deliver the second top-five selection I wanted, but he generally did about as well as could be expected given where the Miami pick landed.

Now that 2018 NBA Draft is over and we know who the Phoenix Suns have added to the team, it is a lot easier to see how the team’s offseason decisions ought to unfold going forward.

Finally, the Suns have a Ryan McDonough strategy: Anchor an offense on a high-low concept around Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, surround them with elite 3-point shooters, and make sure that those shooters are premier defenders who can switch onto multiple positions. This strategy makes a lot more sense than the strategy of the last fifty years which was to basically try to run the other team out of the gym.

For some of the existing members, like Josh Jackson, this new direction is perfect.

For some who can’t seem to consistently hit a 3, like T.J. Warren, this likely signals the beginning of the end.

Regardless of how it unfolds for the players, it’ll be a totally different brand of basketball than Phoenix has ever seen and that in and of itself is exciting.

This is the first part of a 3-part series on what the Phoenix Suns need to do to dominate the rest of the summer. Beginning with who they should cut, then continuing with who they should trade and trade for, then ending with their best targets in free agency.

While all of this is easier said than done, there are ways for the Suns to improve themselves this offseason, and if they follow my roadmap, it will take them to their ultimate, successful, destination.

For the Phoenix Suns to dominate the rest of the summer, here’s what needs to happen: