4 ways Phoenix Suns would be better off with Bam Adebayo

#3: Big Man Passing

The Phoenix Suns led the NBA in assists this season. I feel like that sentence is said a lot, but not enough.

The Phoenix Suns led the NBA in assists this season.

Of course, you’d like to see that ball movement translate into more wins, but still, it is a very encouraging truism. Just think if the Suns also had one of the best passing big men in the league.

In the entire 2017 draft class, Bam Adebayo ranks 5th in total assists amongst all positions, and of course, he is surrounded in this ranking by nothing but point guards. The next non-guard on this list is Kyle Kuzma at 11th overall, and he gets to pass to LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Bam’s passing doesn’t stick out just in this draft class. This season he ranked 2nd amongst all centers in the league in assists per game, trailing only Nikola Jokic. That type of interior passing is hard to come by.

Imagine how many open inside-out 3-pointers this could have provided to Devin Booker. Or cuts to the lane leading to posterizing dunks for Kelly Oubre Jr.

Bam’s versatility would have been a great fit for the Phoenix Suns, assuming they were patient enough to give him until this third year to shine, something that we haven’t exactly seen with other players.