The Phoenix Suns and Frank Kaminsky relationship is budding

Francis Stanley Kaminsky III came to the Phoenix Suns this season looking for a fresh start and a little love. It is still early, but he may have found it.

When you heard the news that the one they call Frank the Tank was joining the Phoenix Suns as a free agent this summer, nobody would blame you if you said, “ Oh yeah? Did you hear they got Aron Baynes?”

Coming off four lackluster years playing in Charlotte, Frank Kaminsky wasn’t the darling of free agency. Far from it.

Drafted 9th overall by the Hornets in the first round of the 2015 draft, he was considered to be the prototypical modern stretch four—a seven-footer who could shoot and rebound the ball. Defense, not so much. But he could shoot.

As a junior for the Wisconsin Badgers he broke the single-game scoring record, putting up 43 points, shooting 6-of-6 from 3-point range and 16 of 19 overall from the field, topping former Suns shooting guard Michael Finley’s previous record by one point.

Then, in 2015, he was unanimously named National College Player of the Year.

But things did not play out as well for him in his time in Charlotte where he averaged less then 10 points a game, shot only a .491 eFG%, grabbed a puny 4 total rebounds a game. By comparison, Dragon Bender shot .494 eFG% and grabbed 3.8 total rebounds in his time with the Suns.

So yeah, it was disappointing.

“There are games where my approach and my attitude aren’t the best; I get down on myself and I let that take me away from what I can do,” Kaminsky once said.

So the player the Hornets thought was going to be their Dirk turned out to be their Bender and they gave him the NBA equivalent of a Dear John letter by not offering him a qualifying offer after last season.

“Here,” said Charlotte, “let me help you pack.”

Now on a two-year, 10 million dollar contract to play for the Phoenix Suns—a team on the rebound—Kaminsky is looking for some love and playing for a fan base desperate for something to love again.

They may have found it, both of them.

In four games with the Phoenix Suns, Kaminsky has averaged 14 points while grabbing almost 8 rebounds. Even though his shooting from 3-point range is actually down (.263), his 2-point % is up (.542) and he’s getting to the line more, averaging 4 a game and shooting .938 from the line.

Then there’s the little plays he makes—the driving floaters in the lane, the post-ups, the ball-moving swing passes, the fake ball-moving swing passes to get the defender moving to set up his own three. Even though he’s not been hitting the 3’s he is still a willing shooter and that creates gravity, freeing up others for easy looks.

Kaminsky is making things happen, for himself and his teammates, so much so that Monty Williams has openly contemplated putting him in a two-man-game with guard Devin Booker.

”They’re both smart,” coach William’s said in a recent interview with the Arizona Republic. “They know how to make plays and if teams want to switch, Frank can go down in the post and make you pay a little bit, but when he does go down there, he’s looking to pass the ball out and that’s something I like about him.”

There has been a lot to like about Kaminsky’s first week of games. Here’s hoping this new friendship blossoms into a full on love affair.