SunsRank 4: Vote for the Suns’ fourth best player!

We continue the series of ranking the best Suns players right now, in September, in the afterglow of the team’s best record since 2015.

The 34-39 Suns finished the season on an eight-game winning streak, blowing away the competition in the Bubble by a 12-point scoring margin, nearly 50% higher than the next-best team. After some of that first-round action, the famous Zach Lowe even tweeted that the Suns were the winner and should advance to the second round. Ha!

For the season as a whole, the youngest team in the league finished 12th on offense, 17th on defense and 14th in net rating. Their expected won-loss was 37-36 (in 73-game COVID-shortened season), while their actual record was 34-39 due to a gaggle of one-possession losses.

On this high, it’s time to rank our players in whatever terms you want to rank them. Is it based on their play in the 2019-20 season? Or their value to the team for next season? Or based on their contract status? Or based on how lost you get in their eyes?

It’s up to you. This concept of ‘best player’ is intentionally vague. Earlier this week, you readers overwhelmingly chose to rank Ricky Rubio the Suns 3rd best player, after Ayton was chosen second (in a close vote with Rubio) the day before.

Now, it’s your turn to vote for the next best player on the Suns.

Is it Inspector Gadget? Or Kelly Kelly Oubre? Or baby boy Cam Johnson? Or Super Dario?

*So far in 2020 SunsRank we have:

1. Devin Booker
2. Deandre Ayton
3. Ricky Rubio
4. ...

And the 4th best iiiiiiiiiiisssssss...

Cameron Johnson

• Ranks on the Suns: 39% 3PT (3rd), 4.8 3PA/g (3rd), 56.5% Effective FG (4th), 58.6% True Shooting (6th)
• Pros: Quickest three point release on the team, moves well off ball, can break down driving defender, good rebounder when playing the power forward spot; always seems to make the right play
• Cons: Should have been good as a rookie considering he’s the oldest lotto pick in a decade (played at 23 last year); not the team’s best athlete; not truly great at anything but shooting; not a good playmaker for others
• Bottom line: Role player extraordinaire, might top out at Channing Frye in his career... which is NOT a bad thing!

Mikal Bridges

• Ranks on the Suns: 36.1% 3PT (T-4th), 58.3% True Shooting (3rd), 1.4 Stl/G (T-1st), 0.7 Blk/g (3rd);
• Pros: always defends the opponent’s best offensive player; likely to make multiple All-Defense teams; is effective defensively against the game’s best offensive players; should get a lot of credit for Suns rising to 17th on defense this year
• Cons: would never be one of the Suns best offensive players; not aggressive on offense, limited impact; has a hitch in his shot that comes and goes
• Bottom line: makes major impact on winning because of the defensive end and ability to hit threes; could be like an Andre Iguodala who is hugely impactful defensively in the most important games

Kelly Oubre Jr.

• Ranks on the Suns: 18.7 Pts/g (2nd), 6.4 Reb/g (2nd), 1.3 Stl/g (3rd), 0.7 Blk/g (2nd), 4.4 FTA/g (2nd), 3PA/g (2nd), 34.5 Min/g (2nd);
• Pros: ranked second in a lot of categories this year; was the best clutch 3P shooter on the team by far, making 48.8% on clutch threes; most exciting half-court dunker; given credit as spirit-leader among teammates and fans
• Cons: considering all his production, had low advanced stats and overall statistical impact due to inefficient scoring and inconsistent defense
• Bottom line: he’s the opposite of Mikal Bridges in many ways. Yet, the Suns did win a few games solely thanks to Oubre’s efforts in closing minutes, more than can be said about anyone outside on the roster Booker.

Dario Saric

• Ranks on the Suns: 24.7 Min/g (6th), 3.6 3PA/g (5th), 35.7% 3P (6th), 6.2 Reb/g (3rd), 1.9 Ast/g (6th), 55.4% eFG (6th)
• Pros: Really turned it on in the Bubble, upping his output all across the board to become a fan favorite; truly settled into a role as a backup center (Baynes did not play due to COVID recovery); does a lot of things okay
• Cons: Doesn’t do any one thing incredibly well
• Bottom line: He’s a restricted free agent, so the money will be a big determining factor on bringing him back next season. The Suns will likely renounce their rights to match offers because his $10 million cap hold is higher than any offers would be. They will wait to see what the market bears because this won’t be a spendy off-season

The time has come for you to cast your vote!

*Bright Side will run this SunsRank process for the whole Suns 2019-20 roster! So far we have:

1. Devin Booker
2. Deandre Ayton
3. Ricky Rubio
4. ...

Who comes next on the list of best Suns players?