The Phoenix Suns enjoyed an open training session at Arizona State University's Mullett Arena on Saturday, with fans turning out in force to catch a glimpse of the team's stars. From there, the group had a planned day off afterwards, before turning their full attention to the beginning of the regular season.
That begins with a double-header of nationally televised games against both teams in Los Angeles, although there is reason to believe that the Suns can hit the ground running here. The Clippers reeling from the news that Kawhi Leonard won't be available, while the following matchup against the Lakers always produces fireworks and could go either way.
We now know that Frank Kaminsky won't be taking part in these games.
That's because the organization took the step after the open session to waive him, although they do still have an open roster spot to use as the season develops and other guys become available. This shouldn't have come as a huge surprise, although Kaminsky was so popular with fans that there was genuine disappointment.
Kaminsky spent last season in Serbia - and although his output was pedestrian - he returned for one more crack at the league as what looked like the perfect role player for the Suns. The 31-year-old completely onboard with playing spot minutes, stretching the floor and being useful in head coach Mike Budenholzer's offensive sets.
OFFICIAL: Suns waiving Frank Kaminsky. #Suns pic.twitter.com/qEk1GHhvuU
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 19, 2024
Really though the main reason fans were happy to see him back was because he was a link to a happier past that this team enjoyed. Kaminsky a part of the roster that made it to the 2021 NBA Finals, and a teammate that Devin Booker always seemed to enjoy being around. That is not reason enough to keep him, however the sheer amount of point guards on this roster might have been.
It is no secret that the franchise were stung badly by not having an established floor general last time out. But it feels like the front office - who deserve credit for their excellent drafting recently - overcompensated this offseason, by flooding all areas of this roster with point guards. So much so that switching one of them out for Kaminsky might have been the play here.
Obviously Tyus Jones was one of the steals of the summer, while Monte Morris is going to have his uses as well. But with the Suns already having Booker, Bradley Beal and Damion Lee to split minutes between - plus Josh Okogie depending on who he is out there with - the team surely only needed at most one more point guard in reserve.
Yet the Suns added both Collin Gillespie and TyTy Washington - and although both are going to spend a lot of time in the G League with the Valley Suns - it is hard to see why both are needed. They have upside for sure, but if injury happens to strike Jones or Morris, won't that just mean more run for Booker, Beal and Lee?
Even if one of the other two would then be promoted to the main roster for some time, it is still hard to see why a second is needed over Kaminsky. "Frank The Tank" would have given the Suns different looks at another position on the court, and next to Ryan Dunn or Oso Ighodaro for example his defensive deficiencies would have been well masked,
Perhaps Kaminsky will end up on the Suns' G League affiliate anyway, which is something a lot of fans would like to see. Then again, he is a career 34.9 percent shooter from deep, and at this stage of his career is most certainly a known commodity. Perhaps the Suns feel Gillespie (25) and Washington (22) can provide something different for this group. Tough one to take for Frank.