Jordan Goodwin might just be the most underrated player the Phoenix Suns have on their roster. Not content with the excellent two-man numbers he posted last season alongside all manner of teammates, the point guard has been in the gym this summer in an effort to pack on even more muscle to his already long and physical frame. That could strengthen his defense even further.
Goodwin has chance to make All-Defense team with these improvements
The former Washington Wizard was speaking to the media during training camp and revealed that he got in the weight room during the offseason.
"The work I put in the weight room this summer with the training staff is going to take it up (defending) to another level. Being more stronger, more athletic, move a little bit faster. Help me get in position; I think that's going to help me out a lot."
Goodwin did not receive a single All-Defense vote last season, despite the fact that he was the most versatile defender the team had on a nightly basis. He is as comfortable sticking with quick guards and hounding elite scorers on the wing, while Goodwin can also bang with some forwards inside.
Head Coach Jordan Ott was also able to play guards Goodwin and Jamaree Bouyea together in certain rotations, only made possible by both being long guards but also because Goodwin takes defending seriously and can match up with a myriad of different opponents.
So important is the 27-year-old to what was a top-10 defense in the league last season that pushing for a starting role does not feel out of the question at this point. Clearly, Goodwin is not resting on his laurels, and recommitting to the defensive end after signing a long-term deal to return to The Valley is exactly why the franchise brought him back in the first place.
Addition of Miles Bridges helps Goodwin's All-Defense case
You would think that the arrival of a former 20-point-a-night scorer who has never shown much of an interest in defending in Miles Bridges would be bad news for Goodwin, but that doesn't look like it is going to be the case. The forward has already promised to commit to stopping opponents at a level we have never seen before.
That would make Goodwin's life easier in that he could stick to defending smaller players and using his size and additional strength to disrupt them, while the Suns as a whole are likely to again be a top-10 outfit on that end of the court if Bridges takes defending seriously.
There is also the prospect of using small-ball and funky lineups with Mark Williams set to miss extended time through injury, which could also see Goodwin slide up a position or two on the court. If he can continue to defend multiple positions on the court and do so at a rate we have never seen from him before, some All-Defensive love is sure to follow.
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