FanPost

On the Phoenix Suns replacing "That" Guy, The Frye Guy

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Suns lost a valuable piece of their 48 win turn-around season when Channing Frye left for $32 million and Tobias Harris the Orlando Magic.

Frye, the master of the pick and pop, shot 6.2 shots per game off the catch and shoot variety. He shot 5 shots from range off the catch and shoot.

Per NBA.com Stats, "Catch and Shoot: Any jump shot outside of 10 feet where a player possessed the ball for 2 seconds or less and took no dribbles."

5 three point attempts off the catch place Frye tied for 4th in the NBA behind the likes of Ryan Anderson (6.5-22 games), Klay Thompson (5.5), Wesley Mathews (5.1), Wilson Chandler (5.0), Channing Frye (5.0), and Kevin Love (5.0).

Of these top 6 in terms of volume for catch and shoot bombs, Frye was 5th of 6 at 38.1%. Thompson was at 43.6%, Anderson at 42%, Mathews at 41.9%, Love at 39.8%, and Chandler was last at 37.3%.

In fact, of the 24 players who averaged 4 or more catch and shoot threes per game, Frye was 21 out of 24. To be fair, Channing, Love, Mirza Teletovic, Anderson, and Matt Barnes were the only 5 players of that 24 to see any time at the power forward position this past season.

In terms of stretching the floor as a four or a five, Frye was an elite three point catch and shooter. However, in terms of all high volume catch and shoot shooters, Frye was far from "elite", but he brought an ability that teams covet and rarely find.

Can Frye's ability to stretch the floor as a four/five be replaced with the way the current Phoenix Suns roster is constructed?

Anthony Tolliver: The Answer?

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-USA Today Sports

Anthony Tolliver is also a tremendous catch and shoot three point shooter. In only 20 minutes per game, Tolliver launched 3.8 threes of the catch and shoot. He nailed them at an elite 42.4%, 4+ percent better than Channing. Give Tolliver the same minutes as Frye and he would have launched over 5 catch and shoot threes per game as well.

However, Tolliver has played center sparingly in his career. Alarmingly, Tolliver has played PF sparingly in his career as well. Anthony Tolliver has primarily been a small forward for 4 consecutive seasons. Despite Tolliver's freakish 7'2.5" wingspan, his 6'8'' frame is best suited not banging down low with the big boys.

Per 82games.com, of Charlotte's 20 most common 5 man units in 2013-14 (the most common playing 526 minutes together and the 20th most common playing 37 minutes together) Tolliver played power forward for exactly zero of them.

Tolliver will play much more four in Phoenix, but he hasn't been a four for nearly half a decade.

The Phoenix Suns played small ball from time to time last year, but much less than one would think.

Small Ball Suns?

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-azcentral.com

Again, per 82games.com, of the Suns 20 most common five man units, Markieff manned the five and Marcus manned the four for only 166 minutes over an 82 game schedule for a +5 plus/minus. I guessed that scenario occurred much more frequently and was shocked by the low figure.

I am not sold on Miles Plumlee, Alex Len, and Shavlik Randolph handling 48 minutes a night for 82 games at the center position. Markieff will likely have to see more time at the five this season, and the Suns may try quicken their already high octane pace to offset their overall lack of size.

Markieff receiving more minutes at the five can open up time for Marcus Morris and Tolliver at the four, but Marcus isn't a power forward either.

Marcus also shot a better percentage off the catch and shoot than Frye. His 2.8 catch and shoot threes were hit at a 39.9% clip.

If Marcus and Tolliver fill a majority of Frye's 28 vacated minutes, the Suns hopefully can replace Frye's catch and shoot spacing ability, but aforementioned, Channing played significant time at the five. Tolliver and Morris will not provide that versatility.

Markieff Morris only took 1.2 catch and shoot threes per game last year. He hit them at just 31.6%, which places Kieff in Kyrie Irving territory (32.1%, nearly the worst catch and shoot PG in the NBA). Just had to take a shot at Kyrie there.

Markieff does nail his mid range jumpers off the catch and shoot at 44%, so he can provide spacing in that aspect from the five spot, but once again, Markieff will also not be able to provide what Frye brought to the Suns' offense.

The glaring concern is how a Markieff/Tolliver or Markieff/Marcus PF/C combo will perform defensively in an increased sample size (or a potential Markieff/ T.J. Warren 4/5 combo?).

Markieff did produce 2.4 Defensive Win Shares last season, which is the same as what Channing produced in nearly the same amount of minutes. Frye's Defensive Rating was 107, Morris' 106. Both players had Offensive Ratings of 111. (Tolliver's Ortg/Drtg was 118*/107). However, the plus/minus numbers dramatically lean towards Channing over Markieff in terms of effectiveness, but those advanced stats do produce hope, though I do not know what Markieff or Frye's Defensive Rating was when either played specifically at the five.

New Look Suns

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-per NBA.com

Via free agency, out goes Channing Frye Eric Bledsoe, and in comes Isaiah Thomas and Anthony Tolliver.

These two additions and the subtraction will alter the Suns' style of play more than we think we know.

When it came to "replacing" Frye, the Suns really think they got their guy. Can Tolliver be "that" guy? Can Marcus or Markieff?

I have my doubts, but I have a feeling we are in for a wild ride in 2014-2015. The Suns will push the pace even faster and ball movement will be imperative to maintain spacing. Frye is gone, but the Suns will be back with a tumultuous attack. Lets see if the rest of the NBA can keep up.

Faster pace, more fast break points, and just as many threes? Sounds lethal, but lets hope it is a winning formula in the loaded Western Conference.