Make no mistake: the Phoenix Suns are a playoff team in the Western Conference. For the first time in many years, management has an opportunity to, and must treat the roster that way.
Regardless of the team’s fourth quarter collapse and subsequent loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the Phoenix Suns are on their way to not only breaking their extended streak of nine missed playoff appearances, and with a generally young core, the roster is all but set up to be one that could stay there for many years to come.
This is a new experience for many fans – and many on the roster as well.
It is not, though, to Robert Sarver.
And should not be treated as such by first full-time General Manager, James Jones.
Yet, the team is missing something.
Yes, they are still learning Monty Williams‘ offense; yes they are still learning one another and trying to become a fully cohesive unit; yes, Deandre Ayton has not had game action since opening night.
But it is obvious that the roster is not yet complete. It might certainly be good enough to get the franchise to the postseason, but it is not necessarily good enough to compete.
And be totally honest with yourself: even if they managed to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2010, you, as a fan, would not be happy with a four game first round sweep to the Los Angeles Lakers, or even a five-game out.
If nothing else, we want them to push for the Semi’s, if not one round beyond.
We’ve waiting nearly ten years for a postseason berth. We should demand that they make up for lost time as quickly as possible.
And so too should management.
There is no reason for there not to be some sort of a deal made early in the season to improve this roster – and guarantee that it is together long enough to continue to settle into the offense, and with one another.
Sp, what should Jones improve?
Point Guard, Shooting Guard, and Small Forward
At point guard, Ricky Rubio is pretty well set.
Sure, there are better point guards in the NBA than him, but at 29-years-old, he can easily hold down the position for at least five years and should only be upgraded or replaced if out of necessity, or they happen to draft his replacement unexpectedly.
Now, the roster could use a veteran backup. As much as we all hope the Ty Jerome can step in and make a big difference, and as well as Elie Okobo has looked thus far this season, to have a strong vet who can help lessen the hit the team takes when Rubio is out would be huge.
Shooting guard is obviously cemented with starter Devin Booker, and not only does Book play enough minutes to generally negate the necessity for a backup, they have enough guards – as well as both Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson who can help cover the reserve role when Book is out.
Kelly Oubre at small forward could develop into a star – he certainly looks like he is on the verge.
However, he could not only potentially be the team’s backup should the situation present itself based on a trade, but he could be traded in the right package.
What that package is – I cannot say at this moment. But let’s always remember that generally one has to trade talent to receive talent.
Obviously, Oubre can have big nights and is a lot of fun to watch. He is high-energy and a bulldog defensively.
However, 17.5 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.3 steals, .5 blocks and a 33.3% 3-point shooting percentage are all nice stats, but what is one single stat that jumps out of the page and shouts: future star?
Personally, I of course would love to see another piece added to a roster that includes Oubre.
But I would also not sit on this roster with him just because I like him as a player – especially if by by chance it means turning down a trade for a current star from somewhere else.
Power Forward and Center
Power forward is now, and remains the team’s biggest weak link.
While I personally had very high hopes that Dario Saric was going to be the future at the starting position, it is now all but glaringly obvious that he is not.
Saric is a very good role player. In fact, if James Jones had added a star at the position and still manged to acquire Saric as the backup, this team would be really good right now.
Phoenix Suns
Alas, in the last year of his rookie contract, I thought that there was a chance he was going to play himself into a really nice (for him) extension, but it appears that aside from solid 3-point shooting (36.9% following his 0-5 night against the Dallas Mavericks), he is truly, nothing special.
Deandre Ayton’s suspension really put the start of the regular season in a position of flux that it never should have been.
He should have just completed his 18th game with his teammates. Instead he has missed his 17th consecutive – eight more until his return…
James Jones still does not know exactly what he has in the former first overall pick and therefore should treat him as entirely untouchable.
For this season, the backup position is entirely set with Aron Baynes, and while the Aussie will be 33-years-old come December 9, one might expect that Jones will do everything he can to re-sign the veteran for two more seasons beyond this one.
Frank Kaminsky is in the fold for two years as well, so in the end, unless Ayton somehow regresses following his return, from top to bottom, center might actually be the most set position on the entire roster.
James Jones must make it happen sooner rather than later
While the Phoenix Suns sit below the .500 mark at the moment, they have had to suffer without their first overall pick for all but opening night; they have missed their starting point guard for five games thus far; and not only have they missed their backup center (who played an integral role in the early hot play by the team in Ayton’s absence, but he happened to miss over three games Rubio missed as well, hurting the team’s depth tremendously.
Ayton’s return will only make the roster better, and whether he starts right away (which I contend that without hesitation he absolutely should), having both he and Baynes on the roster at the same time will only help make them that much stronger.
James Jones should not worry about shaking things up early in the season.
December 15, is when offseason signings can become eligible for trade, with January 15 being the other date for the rest of offseason free agent signees.
If at all possible, Jones should not wait until the January date and work hard to find a trade to help make this roster better much sooner.
The reason for this goes beyond the simple that the fans have been waiting long enough for it.
The core players deserve to know that their hard work is paying off; that management isn’t happy losing and is therefore not looking towards the draft as a means of finding the right talent to improve the roster long-term.
If anybody on the roster deserves to know that his franchise is behind him, it’s Devin Booker.
James Jones knows full well that Booker is the team’s only star at the moment, and therefore should do everything in his power to supplement the roster, coming to Book’s aid.
The season may be young, but the opportunity for success is very high this season for the Phoenix Suns.
The moment James Jones has a trade that should have the trigger pulled, he should. This is absolutely the year the Phoenix Suns should make the playoffs for the first time in what feels like forever – and management should do everything in their power to make it happen.