The Phoenix Suns should play to win the game

While the Phoenix Suns might not entirely be out of the rebuilding phase of their transition to playoff and championship contenders, that doesn’t preclude the fact that playing veterans to win games is better than playing the young Suns.

For the past three seasons, the Phoenix Suns have played their youngest players in clutch situations to give them the experience of the moment. It was stated that the experience of such playing time is expected to be carried with them into the future when, as veterans, they will then know how to successfully fight through game time adversity.

There is the expectation too that the players will more quickly mature because of it, potentially speeding up the growth process, as they will have been put into such high leverage situation at such a young age, developing the mental calluses that will keep them sharp and calm later in their careers.

However, there is a problem with all of that: as an organization, there has been far too much losing over the past three seasons (178 losses since 2015-16), and not only are fans fed up with such bottom-of-the-barrel play, but certain star players *ahem* Devin Booker,  have publicly stated that they are done  losing.

And then there is the fact that there is no guarantee that playing young, inexperienced players in high leverage situation actually makes them better  players.

For two seasons Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender played in those moments, and yet have either of them shown that they are better for it?

Devin Booker is going to be great regardless of the types of games he plays in because he is going to work to be the best player he can possibly be, using his insane competitive edge to drive him and his teammates over the competition.

Josh Jackson needs game reps more than anything, and to think that such a giftedly skilled player such as he won’t know how to keep his head in clutch situation doesn’t give him credit for his well-known maturity already.

I do not know if the same is true for either Mikal Bridges or Deandre Ayton (we won’t know until their careers begin in earnest), but they too should not play in moments in games that they might lose for the team over arguably better veterans or players better fit for the situation.

How many athletes too have had their growth stunted or their confidence shattered because of too much losing, especially if they are in on the loss by being in there at the end. Is it possible that that has happened to a couple of players on the roster, both still and potentially no longer here?

Now that is not to say that the young players (including Josh Jackson, Shaquille Harrison, etc.), shouldn’t  play during crunch time if they are fully capable and the right players to play in that moment. I definitely want to see Josh Jackson on the court with the game on the line and the score within 5 points because I believe that he is going to be one of the best two-way players on the roster, and having both he and Trevor Ariza on the court at the same time is going to be potent on both ends of the floor.

But Suns fans are sick of developing players, they are sick of losing, and they just want to see their beloved team great again.

Robert Sarver, Ryan McDonough, and Igor Kokoskov need to heed the advice of Arizona State University football coach Herm Edwards and “play to win the game.”

Winning will cure a number of ills, and the young players will receive enough experience both on and off the court to learn how to do so with plenty of consistency.

My advice to Igor: play the best players to win game on the court, coach the young players the best way you know how off it, and let’s be done with 20 win seasons forever.