The Phoenix Suns aren't likely to make any big splashes this offseason, but they still have business to attend to. Mark Williams and his extension must be resolved, while the franchise also has a pair of guards they must bring back.
Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin appearing to be the top priorities for the franchise to ensure continuity, and the outcome of the NBA Finals has ensured both are in a stronger position at the negotiating table.
Suns need stable of defensive guards to slow down Jalen Brunson
Brunson is rightly being celebrated right across the league, and with that comes the need for other organizations to change their roster building to combat the new champions. There is no way to stop Brunson, he made sure to show the world that with his 45 point masterpiece in Game 5, but Gillespie and Goodwin are tailor-made to slow him down.
It is also interesting that the Suns actually swept the Knicks in their season series, with both wins coming just over a week apart in mid-January. The second of those came in Madison Square Garden, with Gillespie leading the Suns in assists with six on that occasion.
Defensively having both guys on the roster works well, because if they're guarding Brunson one-on-one they can do so in different ways. Goodwin has the bigger body to get up on Brunson and put him off, while Gillespie is the quicker of the two and is adept at scurrying around screens to stay close to the superstar.
If head coach Jordan Ott wants to blitz Brunson to get the ball out of his hands, as plenty attempted this season, this is the ideal duo to do it with.
Goodwin again being both big enough but also quick to be able to recover onto another player allow his teammates to switch and leave nobody open when Brunson does give the ball up. This allows Gillespie to again stay with him and do his best to deny him the ball once more.
Both guards deserve a bigger payday to remain in The Valley, and they would have gotten one anyway. But the need to quieten players like Brunson only highlights their importance more, while they clearly excel in the defensive game plan set out by coach Ott.
A happy outcome for the duo who will both be looking to gain even more minutes and a bigger role on this roster come the opening night of next season.
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