Predicting the Suns' perfect starting lineup after ideal offseason
By Will Eudy
Small forward: Royce O'Neale
One of those positions that could benefit from a change is small forward. Last year, Bradley Beal started 53 games at the three, but he wound up having his least-productive season scoring-wise since the 2015-16 season. Beal averaged just 18.2 points per game, albeit on good efficiency.
We should be sure to acknowledge that Bradley is not washed. His time in the league will likely not be over in the next several seasons, so do not think we are writing his eulogy here. But considering his fit with the likes of Booker and Durant and given the fact he did take a bit of a step back in scoring the basketball, perhaps a move to the bench could be beneficial to all parties involved.
Royce O'Neale was extremely solid for the Suns since his acquisition at the trade deadline. Operating as a near-ideal three-and-D wing, O'Neale showed his ability to provide spot-up shooting and be valuable as a switchable defender. Again, Phoenix does not have many viable options on the trade market, so promoting Royce from the bench is one of their best options.
That would leave both Beal and Grayson Allen coming off the bench. Bringing a former All-NBA team member off your bench may seem a bit wild, but in the end putting O'Neale with the starters could end up giving a significant bump to the Suns' second unit as well.