Evaluating HoopsHype’s top-5 FA PGs for the Phoenix Suns
By Adam Maynes
4. Malcolm Brogdon (RFA)
A lot of Phoenix Suns fans have had their eyes on Malcolm Brogdon, however, they should key their eyes in on his feet as well.
A good scorer and above average shooter, a backcourt of he and Booker would be one of high efficiency and good spacing.
Although he has not been a high assist average point (his career-high is 4.2), he would be the primary ball-handler in Phoenix so one might expect that that number would rise – how high though, I do not know.
However, his feet are an issue to be wary of if offering a max contract (which likely would have to be levied to obtain him – although there is no guarantee that Milwaukee still wouldn’t match it), as he has had multiple major injuries in his three-year career (including a torn left quadriceps tendon), most recently a partial tear of his plantar fascia.
While I have sincerely done my homework on this as well and have read dozens of articles unsuccessfully looking to corroborate what I am about to say: Arizona Sports 98.7’s John Gambadoro once said of Brogdon that he has a plate in his foot and that his foot cannot be insured in the event of another major injury.
If that information is wrong or unintentionally misrepresented, then the following opinion must be taken with a grain of salt, however if it is true, then a franchise like the Phoenix Suns should be wary to make a max offer.
While any professional athlete can suffer a major injury at any time, even those who have never had an injury history (take Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson), those players who have an injury history should worry teams ready to spend a lot of money on them.
In the Phoenix Suns’ case, to me, the risk of the plantar fascia issue becoming chronic is far too much of one to offer him the kind of money that it would likely take to lure him away.
This is a young team that must finally be on the rise to prevent self-destruction, and it would be extraordinarily unfortunate if Brogdon is signed, but the next two years are plagued with reoccurring injuries that allow a Phoenix Suns failure to launch.
Truthfully, I can’t help but think about Anfernee Hardaway in that case.
Buyer beware.