Navigating their way through the storm that is NBA free agency, the Phoenix Suns have already managed to reel in a few big time names—welcoming back some old friends first and foremost.
Although many anticipated veteran point guard Chris Paul inking a new deal with the Suns this summer, which he eventually did roughly 45 minutes into the league-wide fire sale, very few expected to see Cameron Payne return as well, especially on such a team friendly deal. But either way, the Suns now stand well equipped at the point guard spot for the foreseeable future, with both players tenured at least until 2024.
The Suns also brought back Abdel Nader a day later, attached to a veteran’s minimum contract set to keep him with the Suns for the next two seasons. Last year, Nader averaged just 6.7 points per game, but shot 41.9 percent from outside, making him a potentially fun prospect to keep an eye on as he progresses.
The Phoenix front office absolutely turned a few heads though after signing JaVale McGee, who played minimally for both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets last year. The journeyman center adds some much needed size down low for the Suns, nicely filling the hole left behind after Dario Saric’s injury.
So where does that leaves us now? The Suns still possess four open roster spots to fill should they chose to at this point, and even though most unsigned players have already found new homes, a decent amount still have not.
But at this point though, finding value within the free agent crowd will be like finding a needle in a haystack. To still make the right additions though, allow this guide to work as a magnet for the Suns.
Phoenix Suns Lingering Free Agents to Sign: Avery Bradley
Nearly halfway through last year’s regular season, the Miami Heat sent Avery Bradley packing for Houston as a contributing piece to the deal which landed them Victor Oladipo. Between each team, Bradly played only 27 games though while nursing knee and calf injuries.
Bradley also averaged his lowest field goal percentage and points per game since his rookie season last year, likely coming as the main factor behind Houston’s refusal to pick him up with their team option. That certainly suggests that his best playing days lie firmly behind him; but do not let that ideology prompt you to just close the book on his career just yet. Bradley still possesses some usefulness, especially if applied accordingly.
The Suns already wield a top tier NBA backcourt with Paul, Booker, Payne, Nader, and newcomer Landry Shamet all aboard for the 2021-22 season. So if Bradley were to throw on the Phoenix threads as well, he would rarely need to play big minutes, making him well worth whatever minimum deal they extend his way.
During sets where the Suns find themselves struggling at the defensive end though, Bradley might hear his name called, as he worked as a real stopper at the top of the key for the Los Angeles Lakers no more than two years ago. He still carries the lateral quickness which once allowed him to make a name for himself as an NBA player, and might need to do so again for the Suns given the situaiton.
https://twitter.com/fanly/status/1342594963180314624?s=20
Bradley holds greater value just as a game manager and contributing voice on the bench though, as an 11-year veteran with 39 career playoff games under his belt. We know not what roadblocks the Suns might run into next year, and as an already young team, they might need a player like Bradley more than you think. Based on all these variables, he at least deserves a shot.
Phoenix Suns Lingering Free Agents to Sign: Aron Baynes
Aron Baynes enjoyed a career year with Phoenix before heading north to play for the Toronto Raptors last year. For the Suns though, he averaged 11.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, serving as an unexpected, yet still appreciated spark plug at times.
Put simply though, Baynes stunk after that with the Raptors. He averaged 6.1 points per game, shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 26.2 percent from range. It encouraged Toronto to cut him loose, leaving him out to dry with this year’s other still unclaimed free agents.
Although the Suns signed JaVale McGee to primarily replace Saric as Ayton’s understudy, one thing which Saric carried that McGee absolutely does not—is a jump shot. This makes the McGee signing somewhat questionable if the Suns intend to replicate their success from last year, and also makes Baynes an option worth bringing back to fill that void.
https://twitter.com/BALLYSPORTSAZ/status/1236804185452142593?s=20
Yes, Baynes struggled exponentially while shooting the ball last year, but during each season before that one, he still managed to shoot above 34.0 percent from deep. Those numbers do not exactly pop out either, but under a veteran’s minimum contract, we are not exactly looking for the next Steph Curry.
He still provides more than McGee from at least a floor spacing perspective, and one poor season should not entirely dictate whether or not the Suns bring him back or not.
Phoenix Suns Lingering Free Agents to Sign: J.J. Redick
A sweet jump-shooting stroke almost never dies out, and few possess a better one than J.J. Redick at this point, who owns a 41.5 career 3-point percentage.
Last playing for the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans, Redick averaged a modest 7.4 points per game while sinking 1.5 triples each contest. At age 37 though, Redick must want a solid chance at winning an NBA title before calling it quits, which the Suns can provide more adequately than most.
But with their guard core again already well established, and possibly even upgraded with Bradley, Redick would see the floor only during “small ball” sequences, focused on floor spacing above all else.
With Deandre Ayton on tap though, the Suns might not put this strategy into practice very often, but when they do, it can act as a quick-hitting and dynamic attack—certain to shell shock their opponents. It simply adds an extra layer to the team’s offense, which feels like a real bargain for yet another player likely to barely count against the cap.
As an honorable mention, the Suns might want to give newly released wing player Justice Winslow another look too. As a lottery pick only six years ago, Winslow could enter as a new project for Head Coach Monty Williams and Chris Paul to mentor/reviatalize, while also adding a versatile piece who can fill in almost anywhere due to his stature and athleticism.