The NBA will allow teams to add players to their team before going to Disney World to complete the season, and the Phoenix Suns have one roster spot open.
Woj reported the NBA will open a transaction window on June 22, meaning teams will be allowed to pick up free agents, have them attend training camp in Orlando, and play during the eight-game regular season and playoffs. Should the Phoenix Suns take advantage of this?
The Suns have 14 men on their active roster plus one two-way player in Tariq Owens. They still have an open roster voided from when they waived Tyler Johnson after not being able to trade him at the deadline.
Jonah Bolden filled that spot for a couple of games, but that was more of a temporary stop-gap considering nearly every big man on the Suns was injured at the time. Would they consider bringing him back just because he’s familiar with the system?
Should the Phoenix Suns sign a free agent before Orlando?
I don’t they should. In fact, I don’t think they should add anyone unless they are absolutely sure the player will help make an improbable playoff run more possible, and there just isn’t a magic signing that will do that.
Let’s look who is out there.
The most notable players with recent NBA experience include Allen Crabbe, C.J. Miles, and Iman Shumpert. There are also former Suns legends Isaiah Thomas and Anthony Tolliver if they are of interest to anyone.
No? Okay.
Those are fine players, but just fine players.
Everyone else available is coming off an international season or has been in the G-League. Maybe they can find someone from that group who blossoms like the Miami Heat did with Duncan Robinson last year when they signed him during the last week of the season, but that’s not exactly the norm.
My point is that there isn’t one free agent that will make or break the Phoenix Suns’ playoff chances. Don’t get me wrong. The Suns should go all-out and try to win every one of their eight remaining games. Maybe “all-out” means signing someone new.
With how rusty everyone will be, the Suns could take advantage of that with their scrappy style of play, and maybe an additional body helps the cause.
However, if they lose a couple of games, they will revert to team-chemistry-building as the primary motivator and a new player that isn’t likely to be part of the team’s future is counter-productive to that effort.
The Suns have a good team that is finally healthy and available. They should see what they can do. Sure, it’s always sexy to add someone who might help, but unless you think Isaiah Thomas is going to be the team’s knight in shining armor, the Suns are best to run with who they have.