Phoenix Suns Regret Not Trading for a Viable Back-up Point Guard
The signing of Chris Paul brought a huge sigh of relief for Suns fans last summer. The team which struggled to find a traditional, legitimate point guard for several years finally had their man locked up.
Before Paul, Ricky Rubio served as a decent option at the point, but nothing compares to the Point God. Paul filled a gap that instantly brought wins to this team and allowed Devin Booker to play where he succeeds the most—off the ball and in the midrange post.
But when Paul came off the floor this season, especially during the postseason, a drop off almost always ensued. Cameron Payne, a once fan favorite who re-signed with the team just like Paul, played admirably during the regular season.
However, when it mattered most in the playoffs, Payne averaged just four points and did not even see the floor during some contests. Even with Paul laboring through an injury, Williams rolled with Point Book rather than their assumed insurance point guard.
Not signing or trading for another point guard (sorry Aaron Holiday) put a gap in the Suns bench, wore out Booker down the stretch, and now has the team wondering what the future holds for Payne in the Valley.