Former Suns player shows team what they're missing versus Team USA

For the true basketball junkies out there, we have reached a period in the calendar where fans are watching games take place in unique locations to see if they can spot anything that can help their team next season.

From Summer League to pre-Olympic warm-ups - if you're missing the NBA right now - there's plenty to keep you entertained. The Phoenix Suns have already had some forgotten players on their own roster show up to prove themselves in Las Vegas, but a former big man representing his country has put himself back on the radar of fans in The Valley on Monday.

That's because one-time center Jock Landale had himself a game for his native Australia in their loss to Team USA in Abu Dhabi.

Landale played for the franchise in 2022-23, and was so good for the Suns that he earned himself a nice little payday with the Houston Rockets. His departure made complete sense for the player at the time - he wasn't going to get a four-year, $32 million deal in Phoenix - but that didn't mean the Suns weren't hurt by his departure.

What followed for Landale was a disappointing campaign with the Rockets where he was buried on their bench in favor of the younger players on their roster. Fellow center Alperen Sengun rightly getting the lion's share of the minutes as Landale was limited to a paltry three starts across 56 games played.

Against Team USA in a surprisingly competitive game that the Americans eventually edged 98-92, Landale was at his dominant best in the paint. In particular his ability to block Joel Embiid sending social media more wildly than a game played in Abu Dhabi at an unconventional time on a Monday had any right to.

Much has already been made about Embiid's failure to adapt to FIBA rules - he fouled out of a game in Las Vegas prior to the team making the trip for the next leg of their tune-ups - but Landale scoring a team-high 20 points is definitely worth noting.

In fact his play on both ends, but especially offensively, looked exactly like the kind of play the Suns would love to have alongside their starting trio of star players. Again it's not like the franchise ever wanted rid of Lansale, but it was impressive to see all of his best assets - namely hustling hard and making a difference on several plays - on display against the galaxy of stars Team USA possess.

If the Suns could somehow trade Jusuf Nurkic for Landale straight up, then they likely would, and performances against a player of Embiid's calibre are exactly why. He's more mobile and looks like he has a lot more to give than what we saw with the Rockets last season as well.

The "Boomers" gave Team USA a fright, and Landale could have the kind of Olympics that puts him back in the shop window. It is unfortunate that the Suns had to let him walk - but there is no doubt that in hanging with a former league MVP - Landale showed the Suns exactly what they are missing at the backup center position.