When the Phoenix Suns start their scrimmage games, what kinds of things should we be looking for?
The Phoenix Suns are just hours away from playing live, televised basketball, and I’m not sure what to do with my hands.
The Suns will play the Utah Jazz in a scrimmage game on Thursday, July 23, at 8:00 p.m. EST (5:00 p.m. Arizona time). Most importantly, the game will be televised on Fox Sports Arizona, giving fans their first look at Suns basketball since the season went on hiatus in March.
On top of the baseline excitement to have sports back, what specifically should we be looking for? There are a ton of questions I could list here, but I narrowed it down to six.
Which Phoenix Suns players are going to be there?
After much speculation and sleuthing, we determined Ricky Rubio, Aron Baynes, Elie Okobo, Jalen Lecque, and Tariq Owens did not make the initial trip with the team to Orlando. Then, we received the great news that Rubio finally touched down in the bubble and rejoined the team, however, we haven’t yet heard about the other guys.
Owens isn’t even on the team’s official roster, so it is safe to say he is out, but what about Lecque, Okobo, and especially Baynes, who played a big part in several Phoenix Suns wins?
The team is still being extra secretive about who is and who is not there (and I don’t really understand why; this seems like a purposeless fight), but we will find out on Thursday. Moreover, if there are guys who aren’t with the team during the first scrimmage, will Coach Williams and General Manager James Jones finally be more open about their status?
Will Rubio, who hasn’t had much practice time with the team, get much playing time? I mean, I would think so in an effort to help him catch back up, but maybe Monty Williams will be hesitant to thrust his floor general back into things so quickly.
Scouting the floor for which players are in uniform will be the first thing fans look for when the camera pans over the court.