The Phoenix Suns entered free agency on June 30th with many feeling they had made a mistake in how they had tried to build a “Big 4” of high end talent. In doing this, they had completely ignored the ability to add meaningful depth of any type.
As a result, few thought the organization would be major players as free agency began. The recently unveiled CBA is perilous news to a superteam like the Suns, but the full impact of that won’t be felt for a few more years, and so the team took a chance to add the kind of players they so desperately needed.
After only a couple of hours the Suns had put the whole league on notice, getting some fantastic business done early.
The team shot out of the gates to begin the day, announcing that forwards Keita Bates-Diop and Drew Eubanks were joining the squad. Minutes later Damion Lee confirmed he was coming back, in a move that made total sense for both parties. Josh Okogie also announced he was returning, and there is no doubt he can have an impact off the bench having been a starter for the team in the past.
Chimezie Metu was next up, and for those keeping score at home that meant three former San Antonio Spurs had joined the team. These were exactly the kinds of players the rotation needed, and fans were also quick to voice their pleasure at how the front office had identified players who could help, and wasted no time in getting them.
Are you happy with the business the Suns have done in rounding out their roster so far?
— Valley of the Suns (@ValleyoftheSuns) June 30, 2023
Given the position the Suns were in, these three players, plus Lee coming back, were about as good a job as the franchise could have done in rounding out a squad with above average defenders who, if nothing else, are going to try hard every minute that they are on the court.
The importance of this will be seen next season, when all three can take a lot of the defensive load off Kevin Durant, and even Ayton for stretches. Ditching the fossilised Chris Paul was one thing, but adding three long individuals who can defend, all of whom are under 28-years-old, was a masterstroke in roster building.
The Suns didn’t fall into the trap of going after old veterans who were chasing a ring. Electing instead to insert younger players with something to prove to scrap next to Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Deandre Ayton, who is now surely going nowhere for the rest of the summer when you look at the kinds of players added to the mix.
Obviously none of these three players are can’t miss additions, otherwise the Suns wouldn’t have been able to sign them for little money to play for them in the first place. But given the context of the signings, each of them has to be viewed as an A grade. Eubanks had some moments in three seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, and he’s getting out of town just before Damian Lillard finally does.
Bates-Diop has silently amassed 230 regular season games played, and even had a signature game to call his own too. His 11-for-11 showing against the Los Angeles Lakers something the more hardcore fans in the league remember about the 27-year-old. Long and still young, the Suns have found themselves a great role model for rookie Toumani Camara to learn from as well.
Lost in amongst these signings, Jordan Goodwin came over from the Washington Wizards in the Beal deal. There are high hopes that he can contribute to the rotation in a real way next season, and Beal is enthusiastic that the best is still yet to come from the player.
The Suns then saved the best for last, and truly glossed over the news the fan favorite Jock Landale most likely wasn’t coming back, by going out and somehow getting Yuta Watanabe. A player who we have said all along would be the perfect offseason addition for this squad. He is a Suns player now, and there is every chance he continues to be one of the best 3-point shooters in the league next season.
About the only issue that some fans seemed to have is that the rotation is now basically set, and Cam Payne is still going to be relied upon as one of the lead ball handlers for the group. Booker will do a lot more playmaking for the Suns, but Payne is at worst a backup to Booker, and will likely start some games and play with the stars on the team in important minutes throughout the season.
Really though given where this team was at not even 24 hours ago, the front office have pulled off another miracle. With so much money owed to their top four guys, it was unclear how they were going to be able to get useful players of any kind to help in their question to win a first ever championship, and take some of the defensive burden off their star players.
The organization did exactly that, and have put themselves in prime position to be the most legitimate threat to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference next season. On a day when the Suns did so many things right, the Nuggets watched key player Bruce Brown leave and head to the Indiana Pacers on a two year, $45 million deal.
So when you factor the ability of this organization to get Beal this summer, not lose Ayton for cents on the dollar and then go and actually add capable depth, the only grade they can possibly receive is an A for how they handled their business. They got it done early, and will benefit massively from the players they have added.