Can new backup steal Suns' starter's position next season?

One of the main free agent signings for the Phoenix Suns this offseason was the addition of Mason Plumlee to the team. The big man is a veteran role player in the league, having been a consistent starter for a number of teams before joining the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2022-23 season.

Plumlee is efficient in the paint and can rebound the ball quite well. His field goal percentage is off the charts, averaging just under 60% from the field throughout his career. The veteran has also had only one season below 60% shooting in the past six years, making him a solid option to feed in the paint.

He can also rebound the ball quite well, averaging 6.8 rebounds per game for his career and having some of his overall best rebounding years in the past few seasons. Plumlee has been a solid contributor to every team he has been on, a solid big man to round out the line up.

His addition to the Phoenix Suns is a positive for the team, providing another solid big man to add to the depth in the position alongside Jusuf Nurkic. He will also help fill the void left by Drew Eubanks, who signed with the Utah Jazz this offseason.

With two solid options at center, coach Mike Budenholzer will have some decisions to make as to which big man he decides to start.

While there may be an argument as to making Plumlee the starting option, it seems more likely that coach Budenholzer goes with Nurkic for the starting role.

Nurkic was solid for the Suns this past season as their go to big man. He averaged a double double on the season, pouring in 10.9 points per game and 11 rebounds per game. He also tied his career high average in assists, averaging 4 assists per game and thus showcasing an ability to set up his team mates off the pick and roll.

While both players can score strongly in the paint and rebound well, Nurkic's passing does set him apart from Plumlee. It is also evident that Nurkic is the better defender of the pair. Nurkic averages just over a block per game and nearly one steal per game. He consistently puts pressure on opposing defenses and rounds out the Suns starting line up well.

This is where having Nurkic in the starting line up would benefit Phoenix more, as Plumlee's strengths mainly lie on the offensive end and rebounding. Plumlee is certainly good in both these areas and can match Nurkic in these areas, Nurkic has the advantage of being able to set up his team mates and play better defensively.

Nurkic's playstyle fits the Suns starting five more, as the starting line up is not devoid of offensive talent.

The majority of the offensive play will run through Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, meaning that any big man to line up with them would be more utilised for play making, pick and rolls and on the defensive end. In this respect, Nurkic seems to be the better fit and should certainly start over Mason Plumlee