The Phoenix Suns appear to be in a tricky spot two months into the season.
On the surface, the Suns still rank as one of the league’s top teams. They were two victories from capturing the NBA championship two seasons ago. They proved that was no fluke last season by piling up 64 regular-season victories and entering the postseason as the No. 1 overall seed.
They couldn’t sustain that dominance in the playoffs, as they required six games to knock out the upstart Pelicans, then saw their season end unceremoniously with a Game 7 collapse against the Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals.
Despite the distraction of owner Robert Sarver’s suspension and injuries to starters Chris Paul and Cameron Johnson, the Suns got off to a strong start this season. They were 16-7 but have since lost four straight.
They were blown out by the Mavs and Celtics before back-to-back losses to New Orleans, which has the look of a serious contender with the return of Zion Williamson.
The Suns should still finish in the top six in the Western Conference. They have one of the league’s premier players in Devin Booker, who is averaging a career-best 27.4 points per game.
After allowing Deandre Ayton to enter restricted free agency over the summer, the Suns chose to match the Pacers’ giant offer sheet. Ayton has remained productive, posting numbers in line with his previous seasons.
Paul has finally returned from his nagging heel ailment. Johnson should return sometime next month from his knee injury.
The Jae Crowder situation still looms over the front office. It’s not a question of if, but rather when, Crowder will be dealt. GM James Jones has patiently waited for an offer that will presumably include a rotation player to help the team this season.
Will that be enough for the Suns to make a deep playoff run? Gerald Bourguet of GoPhnx.com doesn’t think so. He points out the team doesn’t get to the free throw line often enough and lacks the mental toughness of past teams.
Moreover, he sees the roster as being fundamentally flawed, lacking in ball-handling, offensive creation, playmaking and size at power forward.
The Suns have other assets besides Crowder to deal, most notably the expiring contracts of Dario Saric and Torrey Craig. They also own all of their future draft picks.
That brings us to today’s question: What should the Suns do to maintain their status as one of the Western Conference’s top teams? Will roster tweaks be enough or do they have to do something drastic to keep up with the other contenders?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Hopefully they can make a trade. This is the year they need to go all in. Paul us joy getting any younger. Jones will find them the right player.
Wouldn’t surprise me if they went for Turner&Heild for Ayton&Crowder.
Turner is better defensive, while still being productive on the offence and Buddy will always contribute, especially off the bench with Lee. Key to Suns contending is keeping CP3, Bridges and Booker on the floor together.
Pacers get a top centre closer to the time lines of Haliburton & Mathurin. While also being able to flip Crowder for something, as apparently he’s valuable.
That’s not happening.
Trade Jae and a pick for Kuzma
Lifetime Suns fan here. To my eyes, the Suns play better when Cam Payne starts at PG…. CP3 needs to come off the bench and run the second unit. This one adjustment should produce good results.
Second, if KD is still available, the Suns should re-engage the Nets in trade talks. However, don’t sell the farm to get him.
PHX’s roster isn’t fundamentally flawed. It’s actually well put together, and, except for CP3, the core is in its young prime. They could certainly use more size/physicality, and that was true before Crowder decided to stay home and CJ got hurt. Doable in-season? Maybe, but it would be easier if they were willing to increase their multi-year payroll from its current levels (which is well above the tax line). It’s not a league of big physical PFs any longer, but the skill set is out there at all price points.
Young looking and playing team aside the total number of games played is starting to catch up to them. Add that they are either a high water mark or in a precieved playoff game by whomever they are playing and what you have is teams that are up and at their best they can be in any given game every night.
This is effectivly the inverse of championship hangover. The team knows that these game will be forgotten and in no way is any slide mean they can’t win it. Having not won it means any slide will be percieved as a reason to worry and maybe they should do something.
Hence this is why this article was written.
It’s time for Chris Paul to be traded. This team has developed its own identity aside from him and have been making their own money and way for sometime now.
As long as he is their he will be viewed as a crutch to bridge key gaps after the break.
This team will not be able to fully stand on its own as long as he is there as a result.
New Orleans you are on the clock. You should strongly look into bringing Chris back home.
Seems like the GM and /or coach are egotistical hot heads. Better people skills would have saved money on Ayton’s contract and improved his play in the playoffs. Also Crowder would still be playing now that he’s needed instead of paying him to sit.
How would it have saved money? He wanted a max contract the start?