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The Phoenix Suns are reportedly set to join the “Yacht Club” hotel in Orlando, where they will be joined by the Blazers, Kings, Pelicans, Spurs and Wizards.
With the players being in such a close proximity to one another there could be some relationships forged and “tampering” that goes down behind the scenes quite easily. We will break down some of the top free agents that are going to be staying in the dreaded Yacht Club (it’s actually pretty nice).
Sources: NBA teams Disney hotels based on seeding:
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 16, 2020
-Grand Destino: Bucks, Lakers, Raptors, Clippers, Celtics, Nuggets, Jazz, Heat
-Grand Floridian: Thunder, 76ers, Rockets, Pacers, Mavericks, Nets, Grizzlies, Magic
-Yacht Club: Blazers, Kings, Pelicans, Spurs, Suns, Wizards
Though it may look like it at first glance, these players aren’t all necessarily ranked in order.
Top NBA Yacht Club Free Agents
Brandon Ingram (RFA)- SF/PF, 6’7”, 22 years old.
19/20’ Stats: 24.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.3 APG, .590 TS%, 2.1 VORP.
Role: Co-star. Building block.
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Zona: No. Ingram had a breakout season for the Pelicans and was the prized piece in the Anthony Davis trade, so it’s virtually impossible to see them parting ways with him. I fully expect him to re-sign with New Orleans for some variance of a max extension. It’s also worth noting that Phoenix won’t have the financial means to pursue him (barring a trade) anyways.
Davis Bertans - PF, 6’10”, 27 years old
19/20’ stats: 15.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.7 APG, .628 TS%, 1.1 VORP.
Role: Exceptional floor spacer.
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Sam: Absolutely. While this is a relatively weak free agent class overall, the power forward position has plenty of available talent. Bertans, who is shooting close to nine three-point attempts per game this season at a 42% clip, is one of the league’s most consistent sharpshooters. The Suns have tried the whole “foreign floor spacer” thing plenty of times now, between Mirza Teletovic, Dragan Bender, and most recently Dario Saric. But Bertans is a significantly better shooter than any of those guys, and could complement Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton quite nicely on offense. Defense...that’s a different story.
Derrick Favors- F/C, 6’9”, 28 years old.
19/20’ Stats: 9.2 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.0 BPG, .624 TS%, 0.9 VORP.
Role: Two-way interior threat. Rotation big.
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Zona: This one is tough, but I’m going to lean no. Favors would be a helpful addition, but I’m not sure how much money you’d want to invest in someone that is likely going to be playing the majority of his minutes as a backup center. Sure, they could run Favors and Ayton together for stretches, but I’m not sure going this route would be all that responsible financially with other pressing needs they have to fill.
Bogdan Bogdanovic (RFA)- SG, 6’6”, 27 years old.
19/20’ Stats: 14.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, .560 TS%, 0.9 VORP.
Role: Secondary playmaker. Starter-level talent, but also perfect as a 6th man.
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Sam: It’s sad to say, but Phoenix blew its chance with Bogdan long ago when Ryan McDonough traded him and other picks for the right to Marquese Chriss. Vlade Divac considers Bogdanovic one of the prized assets of the Kings’ rebuild. As such, the chance that they allow him to sign elsewhere for anything other than a massive overpay is quite slim. And that really is unfortunate, as Bogdanovic’s combination of scoring and passing is exactly what the Suns’ bench needs. James Jones will just need to find that combination through cheaper means.
Aron Baynes- C, 6’10”, 33 years old.
19/20’ Stats: 11.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, .581 TS%, 0.2 VORP.
Role: High-quality backup center. Floor spacing brute.
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Zona: Yes. For the right price, bringing Aron Baynes back to the desert makes a ton of sense for Phoenix. He was a quality mentor for Deandre Ayton this season and is coming off a career-year where he had some monsterous games/moments. His injury early in the season was probably a product of being overworked with Ayton’s suspension plus coming fresh off a FIBA World Cup run for Austrailia during the summer. When healthy, he’s a huge boost for a weak Suns second unit.
Hassan Whiteside- C, 7’0”, 31 years old.
19/20’ Stats: 16.3 PPG, 14.2 RPG, 3.1 BPG, .641 TS%, 2.5 VORP.
Role: Starting Center. Rim Runner.
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Sam: Why? Deandre Ayton is the future, and Whiteside is way too good to take a 15 MPG backup role. But credit to him, as he’s enjoying his best season in several years. He still doesn’t pass (career average of 0.7 assists per game), and he still doesn’t shoot (82% of his attempts coming within 10 feet). But he knows his role is to grab rebounds and block shots, and he’s become legitimately elite at both of those things. A lot of teams would love a starting C like Whiteside. Just count the Suns out of that discussion.
Bryn Forbes- SG, 6’2”, 26 years old.
19/20’ Stats: 11.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, .570 TS%, -0.3 VORP.
Role: Floor spacer. Reserve guard.
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Zona: Absolutely. Forbes is one of my favorite under-the-radar free agent targets for the Suns this fall. He would provide a much needed offensive boost to the second unit with his ability to space the floor and knock down shots at a reasonably efficient rate. He has served as a productive rotation piece for the Spurs the past two seasons, but with their immense guard depth it seems unlikely that he re-ups with San Antonio this offseason. His ability to play with both Devin Booker and Ricky Rubio makes him an attractive target.
Dario Saric (RFA)- PF, 6’10”, 26 years old.
19/20’ Stats: 10.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, .572 TS%, 0.4 VORP.
Role: ???
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Sam: What even is Dario Saric as he moves forward in his career? Coming into this season, I thought I had him pegged as a multi-positional forward who can space the floor. Surely that’s a 30 MPG player with a bright future ahead of him, right? Obviously, Monty didn’t see things that way. Instead, as Saric struggled to find his shot, he saw his playing time dwindle throughout the year.
At PF, he couldn’t provide the same sort of quick-twitch athleticism that made Kelly Oubre so attractive. He was strangely effective in a few small ball C minutes, but clearly not as effective as a natural C like Aron Baynes. So as Saric hits the free agent market, he has some real soul-searching to do about what he thinks his next role in the NBA should be. I don’t think bringing him back would be a nightmare by any means, but there are much better PF options to pursue. So I’m going to pass.
Carmelo Anthony- SF/PF, 6’8”, 36 years old.
19/20’ Stats: 15.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.6 APG, .517 TS%, -0.7 VORP
Role: Scorer.
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Zona: No. Carmelo had a nice resurgence of sorts in Portland this season, but due to the age and poor defense this fit doesn’t really make much sense from a roster construction standpoint. With Kelly Oubre Jr., Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson all locked into the wing rotation, they do need one more depth piece, but Carmelo is not the guy they’re looking for as badly as they need scoring off the bench.
Shabazz Napier- PG, 6’0”, 28 years old.
19/20’ Stats: 10.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 5.0 APG, .555 TS%, 0.5 VORP
Role: Backup PG. Bench Stabilizer.
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Sam: Yes. Alongside the Ayton suspension, the main reason the Suns couldn’t make a more genuine push for a .500 record this year was due to the trio of Jevon Carter, Elie Okobo, and Ty Jerome. As likable as Carter’s hustle is, and as young as the latter two prospects are, the Suns simply need a stabilizer in that position if they want more wins. Enter Napier, a six-year NBA vet with some limited playoff experience and very few weaknesses. He’s a career 35 percent shooter from distance, and is sporting a career-high 2.3 AST/TO ratio so far this season. He’ll rarely “take over” a game on his own, but he’s a guy that you can trust to competently run sets, play the passing lanes on defense (1.9 steals per 36 minutes this season), and knock down a few shots within the flow of the offense.
Kent Bazemore- G/F, 6’4”, 30 years old.
19/20’ Stats: 8.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.1 SPG, .500 TS%, -0.4 VORP.
Role: Versatile guard/wing. Slasher. Energizer.
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Zona: Yes. This fit actually makes some sense due to his ability to play the 2 or 3 and defend multiple positions. While he shouldn’t be a priority by any means, he fits the mold similar to Jordan McRae when Phoenix pursued him in the late stages of the season. Adding a player like Bazemore doesn’t move the needle, but adding as much depth and versatility off the bench should be a priority for the Suns.
E’Twaun Moore- SG, 6’3”, 31 years old
19/20’ Stats: 8.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, .509 TS%, -0.2 VORP
Role: Backup SG. Spot up shooter with an okay handle.
Should/will Phoenix pursue him?
Sam: If the Suns fulfill their greater priorities and Robert Sarver finds an extra couple million in his back pocket? Sure, why not. Moore is clearly still getting used to his new role on the Pelicans’ bench. I say that because his efficiency plummeted this season, from 57% TS last year and 59% the year before to just 51% now. While he remains an above-average, consistent catch-and-shoot option (career 39% 3P shooter), being asked to create more of his own offense in the second unit has led to a sharp drop in his two-point efficiency. Already undersized for a SG, and having spent close to a decade in the league, Moore is finding himself increasingly reliant on shooting over driving and burst. At the very least, he gives you one extra deadeye shooter. But expecting much more than that is playing a dangerous game.