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The Phoenix Suns
*Photo via USA Today
Tank- O-Meter – 3/5 – Let the Young Guns Shoot
Two years removed from a surprise playoff berth, the post season sun has long set on basketball in Phoenix. A combination of questionable trades, like giving away Isiah Thomas and head scratching signings like Tyson Chandler and Mirza Teletovic have assembled one of the strangest rosters in the league. A combination of spare parts in the form of older players who could contribute to a playoff team and young prospects suit up in the desert on game night. This combination has brought the Suns into a current tie with the Nets for the 3rd worst record in basketball. There is some upside however, Phoenix has some young pieces that have flashed talent in Alex Len and Devin Booker. Len is a big man with a soft touch who can also protect the rim, a skill worth its weight in gold in the modern NBA. Booker is a cross between a homeless man’s Steph Curry and a poor man’s Klay Thompson, a guard with unlimited range and a quick trigger. We all got a sneak peek of what he could be in this year’s 3 point shootout. In addition to those two, the injured T.J Warren and Archie Goodwin are younger players whose best basketball is ahead of them.
Still the Suns like any team that struggles to win 20 games, still need much improvement. A top 3 pick is just what the doctor ordered and could give them another asset to add to their already fertile future. A situation where they could play all the young guns to help them develop and still lose enough to secure a top 4 pick would give them the best of both worlds. Coach Earl Watson needs to realize this and start the offseason early for veterans like P.J Tucker and the aforementioned Chandler to ensure his team is picking early come June.