The Phoenix Suns should use this starting lineup

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Phoenix Suns Jamal Crawford (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Bench Unit

On paper, coming into this season, the Suns had the best bench depth they have had in years. But as their starting lineup has not accomplished what they have been wanting/expecting, the reserves have not been able to keep the Suns in games either and the whole system has fallen apart.

This shuffling should help out with the depth some though so it is worth giving a shot:

PG – Isaiah Canaan
SG – Jamal Crawford
SF – Mikal Bridges
PF – Josh Jackson
C – Tyson Chandler/Richaun Holmes

Bringing Canaan in off of the bench is not only helpful to that unit because of his score first mentality, but also because it means that there are two stable veteran presences at the point guard position off the bench instead of one.

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Jamal Crawford is really a shooting guard anyway, but as he too is an isolation guard, the two of them can dominate the ball in the half court when need be while also running the break with their two wings and alley-oop masters at center.

Mikal Bridges deserves to have more time and allowing him to play significant minutes will help him acclimate to the speed of the league defensively, which is really where they need him to shine most.

The same can be said with Josh Jackson who would have to play a small power forward just like Ariza, but at least as a reserve he should continue to draw lesser assignments and use his speed and athleticism to get out ahead of them and find open shots and lanes to the rim.

Finally the center position is quite obvious with Tyson Chandler for now, although getting Holmes more run would be helpful to the new reserve point guard tandem as they can look to him in outlet passes and use his athleticism as well to their advantage.

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This new starting lineup and bench rotation probably wouldn’t be one that would send the Suns on any crazy-long winning streaks, but it at least would allow Phoenix to begin to move in the right direction competitively. If they can at least stay in games against those teams who they are supposed to lose to and actually beat those teams who they are supposed to beat, then that alone would make the switch (and the season) a success.

It is not too early for the Phoenix Suns to make a change in the starting lineup, and this lineup should be where they go next.

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