Phoenix Suns: The case of a mysterious missing jump shot

The Phoenix Suns are missing many things that would help them win this season. They are also in search of something very pricey that’s somehow managed to disappear.

There is no doubt that there is a lot missing in Phoenix Suns basketball, and one thing that’s missing costs a king’s ransom. The team would be very relieved to get it back and just made a move to try to find it. However, it hasn’t worked so far and the losing streak continues at least partially in thanks to that.

You could insert a lot of things that are wrong with this team right now. One thing that hasn’t been mentioned in the way it’s about to would sure help win some games. It appears to be a mystery that needs to be solved. Let’s take a look at the case of a missing jump shot.

From just before the time the season started up until the trade deadline, two trades were made by Phoenix that for the most part swapped out large contracts on players that had fallen out of favor. These Suns players have morphed from Brandon Knight into Ryan Anderson and now Tyler Johnson.

There is one thing in common among this trio that may not be obvious but starts to get you thinking. It almost appears all three guys have lost their jump shot somewhere in the circus of deals.

Knight has been a fairly decent shooter throughout his career, shooting 35.4% from downtown but for whatever reason that clip is down to 25.6% this season and just 31.7% overall from the field.

Anderson is one of the best stretch fours of recent history and had solidified a reputation as a prolific three point shooting big man with a 38% clip through his career. This season he’s at 20.6% accuracy on his long bombs and 31.7% overall from the field.

Johnson isn’t a great shooter but he puts in work and his jumper is trusty for the most part (36.4% from long distance through his career). However, since becoming a Sun, it’s vanished in the wind. He’s made only 7 of his 34 (20.6%) shots in purple and orange and just 3 of his 15 treys (20%).

For some fairly good offensive players, that is such a dramatic plummet, especially when you look at what each one is making this this season (over $54 million combined).

Now, the Suns could really care less how Knight and Anderson do from here on out, as they’re no longer their problem. However, Johnson is and the front office and fans would really like to see him get it together. When the team traded Ryan for Tyler they agreed to take on about $4 million more next year by upgrading from someone doomed to the end of the bench to a serviceable player.

There’s no doubt his overall game is still more useful than Anderson’s was when dealt, especially for a team lacking a point guard and desperate for an answer, even if just short term. There is also no easy answer as to where the jump shots have gone. However, the case needs to be solved and Tyler needs to find his jumper and show fans why the team went out to get him.