Landry Shamet will help the Phoenix Suns space the floor
Above all else, Shamet adds additional 3-point shooting to the Suns for next year. But thinking beyond that, his ability to just space the floor poises to help out Phoenix at an even more extensive level.
We know from his past that we might need to labor through a few nights each month where the shots for Shamet just refuse to go down. But even during said contests, Shamet’s ability just to threaten opposing defenses as someone with shooting capabilities will open things up for their other weapons.
With any offense, if you pull more defenders out to cover along the 3-point arc, you simultaneously open up wider lanes for cuts to the hoop, one-on-one matchups for bigs around the rim, and uncontested triples following drive and kick actions.
That layout absolutely benefits Mikal Bridges, who makes decisive cuts for layups perhaps better than anyone on the team, as well as Deandre Ayton, who embodies a true mismatch for almost anyone down low.
But the additional high-percentage 3-pointers coming Phoenix’s way looks like the greatest asset coming from Shamet purely as a floor spacer. Even with an astounding 11 players shooting above 35.0 percent from outside last year, the Suns took only the 15th most shots from there amongst all NBA teams.
Clearly with the skills to rain fire from outside, the Suns just need to pull the trigger from deep more often. The open looks encouraged by Shamet’s presence on the floor though will unlock that, and take Phoenix to another level.