Bright Side Of The Sun - BSotS 2015-16 Phoenix Suns Season Preview SeriesDedicated to Phoenix Suns Basketball since 2006https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47819/bs-fv.png2015-10-28T11:18:33-07:00http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/rss/stream/93375502015-10-28T11:18:33-07:002015-10-28T11:18:33-07:00BSotS Season Preview Round Table
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<img alt="Very pensive." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/o4c1IMF7JQvkf_pnnG9iMa78akY=/247x0:2242x1330/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47537727/usa-today-8878445.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Very pensive. | Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Bright Side staff takes one last stab at the issues that may define the Phoenix Suns season with the home opener just hours away.</p> <p>Last call for alcohol.</p>
<p>See where some of the staff members sit on issues surrounding the Suns before taking in the season opener tonight.</p>
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<h3>1. The <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Suns</a> will make the playoffs if...</h3>
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<p><b>Rollin J. Mason</b>: There are a ton of ifs that the Suns will need to break their way. They'll need healthy seasons from <span>Tyson Chandler</span> and <span>Alex Len</span>, improved shooting from pretty much everybody on the roster, <span>Markieff Morris</span> to a) keep his attitude in check and b) remember how to get to the freethrow line, Warren to blossom into a bonafide bench scorer, but most importantly they need either <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> or <span>Brandon Knight</span> to have a breakout year, preferably both. In a conference packed with <span>Stephen Curry</span>, <span>James Harden</span>, <span>Anthony Davis</span>, <span>Tim Duncan</span>, <span>Chris Paul</span>, <span>Marc Gasol</span> and <span>DeMarcus Cousins</span>, the Suns need to unearth a star player if they want to keep up. Bledsoe in particular is on the cusp, and needs to deliver on his potential this season.</p>
<p><b>Scott Howard</b>: If literally everything goes right for them. That's the margin of error that exists in the West. For me I guess it comes down to a couple things - (1) Markieff Morris has to be a good basketball player and not the massive distraction he was all summer and (2) Brandon Knight has to play at the near All-Star level he was playing at with the <a href="https://www.brewhoop.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bucks</a> prior to his trade to Phoenix. Obviously there are other things like Tyson Chandler staying healthy, Eric Bledsoe cutting down on turnovers but I think those two core issues are going to make all the difference between the Suns making the playoffs and missing the playoffs. The ridiculous part is that even if that all works out it's going to be near impossible to crack the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Warriors</a>, <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Spurs</a>, <a href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Thunder</a>, <a href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Rockets</a>, <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Clippers</a>, <a href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Grizzlies</a> stronghold so they'll be left fighting with Anthony Davis and the <a href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pelicans</a>, the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mavericks</a> mystery box, and the <a href="https://www.slcdunk.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jazz</a> for the bottom two spots.</p>
<p><b>Ray Hrovat</b>: Defense and 3-point shooting must both be much improved, and the bench will have to be a plus. The investment in Tyson Chandler tells me the Suns' annual "we have to focus on defense" talk this time of year is actually serious this time around. With either Chandler or Len on the court for most of the game protecting the paint, it unleashes the rest of the players to defend aggressively, knowing an intimidating big has their back. On paper, the Suns shape up to be an above average defensive team, but it's the Suns so skepticism is called for. As for 3-point shooting, the 48 win 2014/14 team was 8th in 3 point % and 2nd in opponents' 3 point %. Last season's 38 game winner finished only 21st and 19th, respectively. Brandon Knight will need to shoot somewhere close to the 41% he did with the Bucks, and newcomers <span>Sonny Weems</span>, <span>Mirza Teletovic</span> and possibly <span>Devin Booker</span> will need to make strong contributions from behind the arc.</p>
<p><b>Geoff Allen</b>: The Suns only make the playoffs if Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight both have nearly All-Star caliber seasons. They're probably the most important part of this team right now, and are supposedly the long-term core. If they play well, they'll create more opportunities for Markieff Morris, Tyson Chandler and (preferably) <span>P.J. Tucker</span> on offense. Importantly, they'll both need to improve in drive and kick situations and consistently hitting three point shots.</p>
<p><b>Jim Coughenour</b>: ...Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe have a symbiotic relationship. I'm going to go with the group on this one. If Bledsoe puts up his numbers from last season and Knight gets back to his Milwaukee form this will be one of the best backcourt tandems in the league. Unfortunately, Knight's transition has been anything but seamless. Injuries have limited his playing time and he might still be struggling to regain his form. With guard depth being somewhat questionable Brandon must not only coexist with Eric, but also be a floor general when Eric sits. Great point guard play for the better part of 48 minutes from these two would probably make this the team's greatest strength.</p>
<p><b>Sreekar</b>: Two of the following three things happen: 1) Someone has an All-Star year; 2) Brandon Knight has a career-best season while shooting over 38% from three; 3) Alex Len and TJ Warren improve enough to be considered legitimate candidates for the Most Improved Player award. This seems pretty prescriptive but I think in general, these three things address areas of concern and required success for the Suns this year. The All-Star thing is nearly impossible in the monstrous Western Conference but Brandon Knight continuing his career trajectory and improving is instrumental for the team's success. This roster lacks a bit of shooting, which is why Knight returning to the 41% 3PT shooting mark he posted in Milwaukee last year would be huge. Lastly, there's a lot of promise and potential on the Suns bench – Warren and Len will surely improve, but big jumps for one or both of them would give a much-needed boost.</p>
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<h3>2. The Suns won't make the playoffs if...</h3>
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<p><b>RJM</b>: Utah is as good as they looked post-ASB last season and New Orleans gets/stays healthy.</p>
<p><b>SH</b>: If (1) nobody from that Top 6 suffers from injuries the way the Thunder did last season, (2) Anthony Davis gets better and the Pelicans benefit from <span>Alvin Gentry</span> being a good coach, and (3) what Rollin said about the Jazz. And that doesn't even address the possibility that Dallas could hold it together with Dirk.</p>
<p><b>RH</b>: Scott called it well in the previous section. Suns really need everything to go right, avoid injuries, get lucky bounces (we're due after last year, right?) and see young players emerge to make the playoffs. If they don't turn up aces on most of those, they'll be staring at the bottom end of the lottery again.</p>
<p><b>GA</b>: (1) Either of the starting guard misses more than 8 games due to injury/suspension/etc, (2) Len or Chandler misses more than 8 games due to injury, (3) one of Sonny Weems/T.J. Warren/<span>Devin Booker</span> doesn't emerge as a bench presence. This team's weakness in depth comes at PG and C. I'm fairly comfortable with wing depth (though its unproven) and the power forward position, but I don't like the prospect of <span>Ronnie Price</span> and <span>Cory Jefferson</span>/<span>Jon Leuer</span> playing 10-15 minutes a night if an injury occurs.</p>
<p><b>JC</b>: ...They can't shoot the three. The Suns were the worst three point shooting team in the league after the All-Star break and only added one plus three point shooter this summer (Mirza Teletovic). All of the other additions are either unknown variables or proven liabilities from long distance, and none of them has every hit more than 31 three pointers in a season. Basically, the Suns are going to need at least 3-4 guys on the roster to improve on their shooting from last season. The Suns run an offense predicated on taking and making lots of threes, so if they're in the bottom half of the league in three point shooting again they're screwed.</p>
<p><b>Sreekar</b>: Two of the following three things happen: 1) Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight don't improve; 2) The Suns shoot worse than 36% from three (they were at 34% last season and 37% in 2013-14); 3) What others said about Utah comes true – the Jazz play like they did post-Kanter last season.</p>
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<h3>3. Who is the most important player for the Suns this season?</h3>
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<p><b>RJM</b>: Brandon Knight seems like an obvious choice here, but I'm going with Bledsoe. If he is injured or otherwise ineffective, the season is basically over. I think this team might be able to withstand Knight not living up to his potential, but I can't fathom them even having a chance without a good/great season from EB. And if he can more often look like the player that stood toe-to-toe with <span>Russell Westbrook</span> and came out on top, that alone might be enough to separate the Suns from the pack.</p>
<p><b>SH</b>: I will take Rollin's "obvious choice" and go with Brandon Knight. Ryan McDonough brought him in at a heavy cost after he'd played fantastic basketball for the Bucks in the first half of the 2014-15 season and he basically flopped in the early stages of his Suns career. Sure most of it had to do with injuries and learning to play off the ball - but it was not pretty to watch. Now he's armed with a 5 year, $70 million dollar contract and what should be high expectations. As stated above, his ability to get back to his near All-Star level (and hopefully beyond) is vital to the Phoenix Suns playoff hopes.</p>
<p><b>RH</b>: I'm going with Markieff Morris. It's a strange situation with the public grousing Keef did over the summer, then he showed up at <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/1/27/7921383/super-bowl-2015-media-day-updates-news-live-coverage" class="sbn-auto-link">media day</a>, behaved, and now everybody seems willing to sweep it under the rug like nothing happened. Hard for me to imagine that he's truly over his hurt feelings, but it's possible they can be kept under wraps as long as the team's winning. On the court, if Keef truly added a reliable 3 point threat to his game, then his game might approach All-Star level.</p>
<p><b>GA</b>: I'm going to go with an odd-ball pick here and go Sonny Weems. This team is going to need a consistent player off the bench with <span>Archie Goodwin</span>, T.J. Warren and Devin Booker at this stage all likely to be inconsistent. Weems shares a lot of similarities with P.J. Tucker in both background and physical tools, and if the Suns have found the next iteration, it could go a long way towards moving this team into the final playoff spot.</p>
<p><b>JC</b>: How about Tyson Chandler (just to keep things interesting)? If he can anchor an improved defense, help keep Markieff in line, provide a venerable and authoritative veteran presence, help give the team a little bit of a mean streak, draw in the defense to open up the perimeter and help give the Suns two quality centers (which hopefully gives the Suns at least one healthy big in all 82 games)... why not him?</p>
<p><b>Sreekar</b>: Jon Leuer</p>
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<h3>4. What are you most looking forward to about this team?</h3>
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<p><b>RJM</b>: I want to see a Phoenix Suns team that defends and rebounds well. I know that's crazy, but I can't help but think that those things will make winning games easier. The Suns haven't finished above average -- that is top-15 in the NBA -- in DRB% since the <span>Scott Skiles</span> era. Quite frankly, that is an embarrassing statistic. This team has the potential to reverse the trend, and that's exactly what I'm looking forward to seeing.</p>
<p><b>SH</b>: I'm really looking forward to watching Tyson Chandler. It's been a while since the Suns brought in a high priced free agent and one like Chandler has the ability to change the entire tenor of the roster. I know the toughness and leadership angles get overplayed when it comes to Chandler so I'll say I'm more excited for his ability to rebound and defend - also the part where you throw the ball to him at the rim and he dunks it through the basket. That should be a delight.</p>
<p><b>RH</b>: I'm excited to see what <span>T.J. Warren</span> can do with consistent minutes and a defined role this season. Though his game is different, I think he can be a game-changing scorer off the bench the way <span>Gerald Green</span> was, but without the cold spells that made fans pull their hair out last season with Green.</p>
<p><b>GA</b>: I wasn't high on the pick at the time, but I'm really excited about the potential emergence of T.J. Warren. I don't see him emerging as a dominant player or anything, but if he can develop into a high scoring small-ball 4, or put together even a modicum of a defensive game or a three point shot, it could do wonders for making him a legitimate NBA starter.</p>
<p><b>JC</b>: Less drama. Even though it gives us more salacious things to write about and discuss, I want to focus on basketball and be able to cheer for a more likable team that gets along with each other. If things devolve again this season I'm going to be really disappointed.</p>
<p><b>Sreekar</b>: The centers! This is probably the best center rotation in franchise history and I'm really looking forward to see Chandler make his mark on the defense and help Len develop. I'm a big Len guy and I expect him to flourish off the bench this season.</p>
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<h3>5. How important is this year for GM Ryan McDonough and coach <span>Jeff Hornacek</span>? Where is your patience level at with the rebuilding process?</h3>
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<p><b>RJM</b>: I don't think there's a Suns fan in existence that can tell you they aren't running out of patience and keep a straight face. It's an absolute bummer to be once again shooting for the eighth seed -- there's no point in mincing words. However, I'm still firmly in the camp that McDonough and Hornacek are part of the solution, not the problem. They have shown the ability to form a competitive team out of scraps; they just need to bridge the rest together and turn a contending team into a competitive team.</p>
<p>The talent has been clearly improved under their tenure, as has the level of play on the court, and I can forgive the few missteps after considering that these guys have had the rotten luck of playing in the most competitive conference that I can remember. When the tides turn and it's time again for the Suns to make a move, I'm completely fine and dandy with McDonough and Hornacek leading the way. Daryl Morey spent a number of years in the hamster wheel before landing Harden, but he was always in position to shake the earth during that period -- it was just a matter of time. That's where the Suns find themselves now, and I think that a regime change at this stage would have an excellent chance of being a complete disaster.</p>
<p><b>SH</b>: I mean, the Phoenix Suns haven't played in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-playoffs" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA Playoffs</a> since 2010. It's 2015. That's a long time. They're currently sitting on what's tied for the longest playoff drought in franchise history and they have the 4th longest current playoff drought in the NBA. Those aren't small things. And sure McD and Hornacek had nothing to do with 3 of those 5 seasons but life isn't fair. I don't think the Suns necessarily NEED to make the playoffs for Jeff Hornacek to keep his job but they need to be competitive, be obviously getting better, and there needs to be some level of progression with the young players. As for McDonough - he threw most of his chips in with Brandon Knight and the chips he had left were in on Tyson Chandler. If those two moves work out then he should be in good shape - but if Knight continues to be lost in the woods and Chandler breaks down it's ruh roh time.</p>
<p>Regarding my patience level as a fan with the rebuilding process - I won't pretend it isn't getting more difficult to be patient. I've been a Suns fan since 1989 and really I'm just not used to missing the playoffs. More than half the teams in the conference make the playoffs - you've eventually got to get back in there. When your fan base has lowered its expectations from "we need to be a title contender" to "we really just need to make the playoffs" that's not a good thing. Frankly my biggest concern for the Suns is that they're becoming irrelevant not just in the NBA but in the local sports market.</p>
<p><b>RH</b>: I have more faith in Hornacek than I do in McDonough. This Suns team isn't talented enough to be upper echelon in the loaded Western Conference, and that's on McD. Overall, talent acquisition is more important (and challenging) than coaching. Generally, the most talented teams win the most. It's true that the cupboard was fairly bare when McD came here, but his moves so far have been a mixed bag. For the first time under the current regime, it looks like the Suns have actually tried to construct a balanced team designed to win now, unlike the "stockpile talent" mode of the last couple of years.</p>
<p>Five consecutive years without a playoff berth and irrelevancy creeping over the franchise are tough to swallow. We as fans shouldn't be overly patient with mediocrity, but it's important to remember that McD and Horny weren't around for the first three non-playoff years. Those years were a rudderless mess. At least now, they look like they have a plan, and have added lots of young talent. How that young talent (Warren, Len, Booker, Goodwin) develops will be most telling about the McD/Horny duo's performance so far.</p>
<p><b>GA</b>: I'm on the record as not a particularly big McDonough fan. That being said, neither is safe if the team under-performs this season. Its a pretty well known fact among sports business types that the Suns are sliding in brand value from a sports-marketing perspective (as evidenced by the fact that, just hours before the home opener, there are still tickets available). The rebuild has not only failed to be successful from a competitiveness standpoint, but it has failed to capture the attention of the fan-base in a meaningful way. Neither McDonough nor Hornacek can be exclusively blamed for that, but responsibility isn't necessary for punishment in the NBA.</p>
<p>As for patience level, mine is pretty low. Unless I see significant improvement out of one of the young guns (Len/Warren/Archie/Booker), I don't see any reason to view the McDonough era as anything resembling a success. That's regardless of a playoff birth this year.</p>
<p><b>JC</b>: As of right now I still think that McDonough and Hornacek are pretty good at their jobs, but both have had their missteps. Ryan has played too much fantasy league basketball with his roster in his first few years, ignoring the fragile egos of some of his players. Jeff has had problems with authority and player discipline... while some of that blame may fall on the unstable situation McDonough created, Hornacek has to shoulder his share, too. I think to a certain extent some of this job comes down to luck. Of course, luck favors the prepared, but it just doesn't seem like a sweetheart deal has sprung up (James Harden) even though the Suns are doing their best to pursue all avenues (<span>LeBron James</span>, <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span>). Hornacek wasn't gifted a player (Anthony Davis) like Alvin Gentry. Plenty of qualified GM's and coaches have been fired because a certain situation didn't work out, maybe in part due to being a victim of circumstance, and went on to have success in a new environment. Sometimes timing just doesn't work out. I'm beginning to think that might be the case here, because I could easily see my patience wearing thin by the end of the season if there aren't more positive indicators than there are now.</p>
<p>I have more patience with Hornacek and McDonough than I do with the organization as a whole. Accountability goes to the top, and ultimately Robert Sarver has been directing this puppet show the last five seasons. Where is my patience level at? Let's put it this way. I write for a blog covering the team and I couldn't even bring myself to watch games down the stretch last season. If the Suns can't even capture the interest of their most dedicated fans... what does that speak to?</p>
<p><b>Sreekar</b>: As others have mentioned, I think this is a pretty important season for the franchise, including Hornacek and McDonough. In Hornacek's case, any time a coach is in the last year of his contract for a team thirsty for a taste of the postseason in a league that has historically scapegoated many a coach, the pressure's always high. Given the landscape of the Western Conference and where the team currently is, I don't think it's a playoffs-or-bust kind of season but a six year playoff drought would undoubtedly increase the pressure and impatience even more. As long as the Suns are in the thick of the race throughout the season, I think Hornacek and McDonough are fine and will return – as they should. It's easy to forget that this is only year one of a rebuild that they started, and unexpected success in year one is what skewed everyone's hopes last season. With that in mind, I can't say I'm running out of patience yet but hell, playoffs would sure be nice.</p>
https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/10/28/9617774/phoenix-suns-bright-side-of-the-sun-season-preview-round-tableJim Coughenour2015-10-27T20:28:00-07:002015-10-27T20:28:00-07:00BSotS Staff 2015/16 Season Win/Loss Predictions
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<img alt="Playoff Bound?" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HAjQG9xkMHRMm8WEoIk3wo8QP2Q=/102x255:3380x2440/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47519649/usa-today-8832630.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Playoff Bound? | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The writers on Bright Side of the Sun give their predictions on how many games the Suns will win, whether they will make the playoffs and a short take on why.</p> <p>With the 2015/16 season kicking off tomorrow it's time for the compulsory process of predicting how the season will unfurl. This is going to be really easy. I've asked all the members of the Bright Side staff to give me a win total, tell me whether the Phoenix <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Suns</a> will break their ignominious playoff drought and dole out a brief synopsis that encapsulates their predictions.</p>
<p>This article will serve as a nice reference point for bragging rights/ridicule later on as the season plays out.</p>
<p>Average wins: 43.2</p>
<p>High wins: 47</p>
<p>Low wins: 38</p>
<p>Playoffs yes/no: 5-5</p>
<p>For what it's worth, every single one of our writers picked higher than the <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25321923/vegas-sportsbook-warriors-spurs-lead-nba-win-total-over/unders" target="_blank">36.5 wins the Westgate opened the Suns line at.</a> Maybe we're all a bunch of optimists after all...</p>
<p>I like the analysis given by CBS Sports... "I don't want any part in trying to predict how this team will play or what will go on with its roster. Too unstable. That's a big bag of 'NOPE' right there."</p>
<p>I think that is accurate to a certain degree, and is reflected by us being split right down the middle on whether this team will make the playoffs. At least going into the season, the Suns really look like a borderline team... a role which hasn't worked out well for them the past few seasons.</p>
<p>Here's where each of us stood on the subject.</p>
<p>Feel free to give your take in the comments below to be included in our time capsule prediction process.</p>
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<h3>Jim Coughenour</h3>
<p>2015/16 Record: 41-41</p>
<p>Playoffs: No</p>
<p>With the 13th pick in the 2016 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA draft</a> the Phoenix Suns select... The Suns are a bubble team again and we've all seen how that has gone for them the last few seasons. This team may actually be more talented than the squad that won 48 games two years ago, but less talented than last year's team that only managed 39. The West still appears to be replete with good teams and I have questions about the Suns' bench and three point shooting. I think the Suns most likely win range is between 35-45 games and wouldn't be surprised to see them make the playoffs as the 7th or 8th seed, but with so many new pieces it's just tough to tell exactly how the chemistry will develop. Since the Suns still seem stuck on the treadmill of conbuilding, rolling out another potentially good but not great team, I'll just assume they're planning another tryst with a late lottery pick next June.</p>
<h3>Scott Howard</h3>
<p>2015/16 Record: 42-40</p>
<p>Playoffs: No</p>
<p>Part of me would really like to predict "everything is going to click, the Suns are going to win 50 games and slide into the 6th seed in the Western Conference" but a much greater part of me is a severe pessimist who sees a great deal of what-ifs with this team. I think there's a bunch of above average talent on the Suns roster - sure there's no elite, high-level talent but you can win a lot of games with above average pieces that fit well together. And while there's the potential for these pieces to fit together all the questions like "can <span>Markieff Morris</span> avoid combusting?", "can <span>Brandon Knight</span> adjust to playing off the ball?", "can T.J. Warren be a reliable rotation player?", "can at least one of <span>Sonny Weems</span>, <span>Archie Goodwin</span> or <span>Devin Booker</span> be a reliable third guard?" all have to break correctly for the Suns to make the playoffs. Oh and the team is an injury away from <span>Ronnie Price</span> playing 12-15 minutes per game. The Suns should hang around the playoff race for a while but like 4 of the last 5 years I think they'll fall just a little short.</p>
<h3>Rollin Mason</h3>
<p>2015/16 record: 44-38</p>
<p>Playoffs: Ok, but just barely</p>
<p>I agree with everything Scott said, but I also have Dallas taking huge strides backwards and New Orleans suffering a setback season as well under the unpalatable combination of injury prone starters and very little depth. Combined with the obvious decline of the rebuilding <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Trail Blazers</a>, and the bottom few playoff spots in the West will suddenly be more attainable than what we're used to assuming. A few less buzzer-beating losses, an absence of power struggles in the locker room, and an improved defense will add up to 44 wins, and to the surprise of everybody, that will be enough to crack the top 8 this year.</p>
<h3>Dave King</h3>
<p>2015/16 record: 45-37</p>
<p>Playoffs: Sure why not?</p>
<p>Come on, someone has to be positive. Right? Right?! I mean, Keef is clearly going to run roughshod over the league to prove how great he is with 18 points and 8 rebounds a game. Tyson Chandler finally finds his NBA home in the valley, following in the footsteps of Kurt Warner, Steve Nash, Grant Hill and Carson Palmer to play a few more difference-making years into his mid-30s. Eric Bledsoe blossoms into an All-Star terror, and Brandon Knight slides cleanly into a shooting guard role with lights-out shooting ability. And all the Suns kids exceed their expectations, too. Heck, even Archie Goodwin wins a game or two with his quick offense.</p>
<p>But then again, this is the Western Conference and even if all that happens the Suns still might come up short of the playoffs. But this time, Adam Silver will step in and grant the Phoenix franchise an exemption to move to the Eastern Conference for the postseason. The Suns fall in the ECF in 6 games to... the Miami Heat. Too soon? Okay, the Cleveland Cavaliers.</p>
<p><i>(Gimme a break here. I'm usually the 'sane' one on this board)</i></p>
<h3>Deadpoolio</h3>
<p>2015/16 record: 47-35</p>
<p>Playoffs: Yes, 7th in West</p>
<p>As the rogue member of the Bright Side staff, it is only fitting that I be the one to predict that the Suns will be better than many expect. But why the rosy outlook? Well, Phoenix lost a franchise-record 12 games last season by 3 or fewer points — a mark only five teams have exceeded since 2000-01. Of course, those numbers include a harrowing number of buzzer beaters suffered last season. Then there's the 1-10 finish to the regular season that isn't likely to repeat. If you remove the Khris Middleton and Blake Griffin buzzer beaters and give Phoenix a modest 5-6 record instead of 1-10, that's 45 wins right there without the addition of Tyson Chandler or improvements from T.J. Warren, Alex Len, and Eric Bledsoe. With the bottom of the Western Conference playoff picture weaker than it has been in recent years, this is Phoenix's shot to finally end the playoff drought.</p>
<h3>Ray Hrovat</h3>
<p>2015/16 record: 44-38</p>
<p>Playoffs: No</p>
<p>While the 2013/14 Suns season saw just about everything go right, last season was the opposite, culminating with a late-season collapse after Brandon Knight's season-ending injury. After more personnel turnover, this might be the most well-constructed and talented roster of the McDonough/Hornacek tenure. Unfortunately, they still face the pesky problem of playing in the stacked Western Conference. This Suns squad has a chance to have a strong defense, top 10 even, if former Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler has the hoped for impact. Knight remains a mystery, and 3 point shooting is again a big question mark. The real problem is looking at the lay of the land in the West, and seeing teams like the Warriors, Spurs, Thunder, Clippers, Rockets and Grizzlies. Barring injuries, I can't see any way the Suns finish higher than any of those 6, which leaves the 7th and 8th spots. To get one of them, have to outperform such teams as Anthony Davis' Pelicans, the up and coming Jazz, and talented but dysfunctional Kings. Can't completely count out the Mavericks with Dirk and underrated head coach Rick Carlisle either. I'm just not sure how the Suns can climb the ladder when there's so much talent ahead of them.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Geoff Allen</h3>
<p> </p>
<p>2015/2016 Record: 38-44</p>
<p>Playoffs: No, 10th seed</p>
<p>I don't think this team is better or worse than last years, to be honest. Different strengths, definitely, but not a vastly different talent level. And the bottom of the West is probably better. Last season the Suns swept the Lakers, and won the season series against the Mavs, Nuggets, Wolves and Jazz. Of those, only the Mavs have really declined; the others should all be better this season. Of Western teams the Suns had a losing record against, only the Trail Blazers have declined precipitously. This team will need to dominate the East to win more than 40 games (they went 18-12 last season). Even modest gains in the West, say an additional 3 wins, are likely offset by more competition from the middle of the East.</p>
<h3>Kellan Olson</h3>
<p>2015/16 record: 45-37</p>
<p>Playoffs: Yes</p>
<p>I need to use a little more space here to prove my playoff point.</p>
<p>Eric Bledsoe is playing with his best fit for a backcourt partner since arriving in Phoenix. Bledsoe and Brandon Knight have had longer than three weeks to figure out their complicated relationship as a pair, something that's a factor for them, their teammates, and the coaching staff. Knight's only 23 and I think we see a major improvement in him either as a defender, shot maker, or playmaker. For whatever reason, Markieff Morris is playing with energy and using verticality. Rollin has made good points on the efficiency of Morris as a player, but him playing like he has in the preseason with an improved three-point shot would change everything. Tyson Chandler brings tremendous energy and a real defensive presence to the team. His leadership alongside Ronnie Price will help improve a chemistry nightmare that last season finished 25th in opp. points off TO, 29th in opp, second chance points, 27th in opp. fast break points, and 28th in opp. points in the paint. That's a lot of small areas that the Suns were dreadful in and a lot of that comes down to being a cohesive team in my opinion. A clearer rotation with Chandler will help clean that up.</p>
<p>On the bench, Alex Len's good enough to be a solid NBA starting center, but he's in a perfect spot for 20-25 minutes off the bench and spending most of those dominating backup big men. Marcus Morris and Gerald Green's awful defense and terrible shot selection is gone and now the all-around play of Sonny Weems and the ultra efficient T.J. Warren replaces them.</p>
<p>In the West, it's the Suns, Jazz, Pelicans, Mavericks, and Kings competing for two spots. T<a href="https://twitter.com/MasonGinsberg/status/656593681793716224">he Pelicans have only four healthy rotation players right now</a>. The Jazz were a monster in the second half, but can they do that over the course of a full season? The Kings are a potential chemistry wildfire and the Mavericks' fifth best player is probably Charlie Villanueva. That along with my points above has me picking the Suns for a playoff spot.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Sean Sullivan</h3>
<p>2015/16 record: 46-36</p>
<p>Playoffs: Yes...barely</p>
<p>The Suns took a substantial step back last season after a surprisingly good 2013/14 season, which proved what a young, energetic team with great chemistry and just enough talent could pull off. Unfortunately, that didn't last, and Phoenix came crashing back to Earth last year, and began to unravel at the seams in just about every way imaginable. so why am I picking them to make the playoffs this year and nearly match their win total from two seasons ago? Well, I think they now have better balance and leadership to help counter the young but immature roster, and gave several candidates ready to step up and make their mark.</p>
<p>One of the biggest issues for Phienix last year (on the court) was their lack of perimeter shooting. Well this year, they have that in spades, thanks to the additions of Teletovic, Booker, and even Leuer. Their other big issue? Not having a post presence to step in when Alex Len was injured. But now? Tyson Chandler will anchor the starting unit while mentoring the young Ukrainian big man. Not only will Len benefit from less pressure and playing against reserve units, he should get plenty of tutelage from Chandler on how to solidify his game.</p>
<p>I think this is the year we see Bledsoe come into his own as the cornerstone of this team, and I think his pairing with Knight will give the Suns' backcourt some much needed stability. Oh, and T.J. Warren...yeah, I'm going to mention him separately from the rest of the young guys, because I see him as being a legit weapon on the cusp of a breakout year. I think this year will see the Suns finally end their drought and sneak into the playoffs as the eighth seed.</p>
<h3>Kat.</h3>
<p>2015/16 Record: 40-42</p>
<p>Playoffs: No</p>
<p>Falling just short once again. I have this feeling that whatever we have right now still won't be enough to go the stretch. The pieces seem like a nicer fit then the beginning of last year, but the team is just lacking something more. Unless either Eric or Brandon (or someone) break out on a higher level this year, there's no go-to guy to really take the lead.<span> </span>The Suns needed a lot of individual and team growth at the end of last season, and I don't think they could have come far enough during one summer. From Eric's playmaking/leadership skills, Brandon fitting into the system to players maturing enough to not get technicals every other game..</p>
<p>With the roster changes it feels like starting over from scratch again. The 5 starters have yet to play a relevant minute together and we can't expect the team to gel immediately. Despite the addition of Tyson Chandler this team's core is still young. My guess is we'll be in the running until the very end, but will get crushed in the last 8 games of the season at least 7 of which come against Playoff worthy teams.</p>
https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/10/27/9615110/bright-side-of-the-sun-staff-2015-16-season-win-loss-predictionsJim Coughenour2015-10-27T00:31:59-07:002015-10-27T00:31:59-07:00BSotS Podcast: Season preview with Paul Coro
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<figcaption>Time to get to work. | Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic joins the show to preview the 2015/16 Phoenix Suns season.</p> <p>With the NBA season kicking off today and the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Phoenix Suns</a> opening tomorrow against the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Mavericks</a> this is the podcast's last chance to participate in the site's comprehensive season preview coverage.</p>
<p>So, of course, we up the ante by bringing on Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic to go over all the ins and outs of what to expect in the coming days.</p>
<p>I'm not going to go into any more details.</p>
<p>It's the season preview podcast with Paul Coro.</p>
<p>That's all you should need to know to listen.</p>
<p>Enjoy.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/brightsideofthesun/2015/10/27/bs-of-the-sun-podcast-102715-season-preview-with-paul-coro">This podcast can be downloaded directly from Blog Talk Radio.</a></p>
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<div style="font-size: 10px;text-align: center;width:400px;">Check Out Basketball Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/brightsideofthesun" rel="nofollow">Bright Side of the Sun</a> on BlogTalkRadio</div>
https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/10/27/9619876/bs-of-the-sun-podcast-10-26-15-phoenix-suns-season-preview-with-paul-coroJim Coughenour2015-10-23T06:00:09-07:002015-10-23T06:00:09-07:00Phoenix Suns' 2015 offseason recap
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<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The new 2015-16 season starts in a few days. Let's take one more look back at how the summer unfolded. From the signing of Tyson Chandler and the drafting of Devin Booker to the failed pursuit of free agent LaMarcus Aldridge and the Morris drama, the Phoenix Suns' offseason was anything but quiet.</p> <p>It has been 192 days since the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Phoenix Suns</a> last took the court in a meaningful game. With only five days to go before they do so again, here is a look back at what took place over that span...for anyone who wasn't paying attention.</p>
<h4>June 25, 2015 — <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA Draft</a>
</h4>
<p>The Suns went into Draft night with the 13th and 44th picks and spent the first one on <span>Devin Booker</span>, a 6-6 shooting guard out of Kentucky. Phoenix then selected guard <span>Andrew Harrison</span> — also from Kentucky — with pick No. 44 but promptly traded his rights to Memphis for forward <span>Jon Leuer</span>.</p>
<p>Beyond that, Phoenix remained quiet, with none of the rumors that preceded the Draft about the Suns trading up for <span>Kristaps Porzingis</span> or <span>Frank Kaminsky</span> coming to fruition.</p>
<h4>July 1, 2015 (June 30 at 9:00 p.m. Arizona time) — Free Agency Begins</h4>
<p>Things started off in unexpected fashion for the Suns, with the team agreeing to terms with center <span>Tyson Chandler</span> on a 4-year, $52 million deal early on the first day. After also agreeing to terms with their own restricted free agent — <span>Brandon Knight</span> (5 years, $70 million) — they turned their attention to <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span>.</p>
<p>It had been widely assumed going into July that the All Star power forward would decide between remaining in Portland with the Blazers or head for his home state of Texas, likely to sign with the <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Antonio Spurs</a>. Somehow, Phoenix weaseled its way into the conversation and after a multi-faceted meeting that included Aldridge sitting down with Chandler, Knight, and <span>Eric Bledsoe</span>, the Suns had become the second horse in the two-horse race.</p>
<p>Ultimately, Aldridge would choose the established Spurs over the unproven Suns in a decision that hopefully (for his sake) won't haunt him forever.</p>
<p>After the chaos of free agency's early stages wore off, the Suns proceeded with signings designed to better balance the roster. That started with bringing in 6-8 <span>Mirza Teletovic</span>, a 30-year-old stretch four from Bosnia and Herzegovina who spent his first three NBA seasons playing for the <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Brooklyn Nets</a>. Phoenix rounded out its bench by signing shooting guard <span>Sonny Weems</span>, who spent the past few seasons playing overseas (last with CSKA Moscow), and point guard <span>Ronnie Price</span>, who last suited up for Phoenix in 2012.</p>
<h4>July 10-20, 2015 — <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-summer-league" class="sbn-auto-link">Vegas Summer League</a>
</h4>
<p>As they do every summer, Phoenix sent a team of rookies, young prospects, and fringe NBA talent to the Vegas Summer League. It was an opportunity for <span>Alex Len</span>, <span>T.J. Warren</span>, <span>Archie Goodwin</span>, and Booker to work on their games while other guys battled for NBA attention.</p>
<p>Things started out well, with Phoenix going 2-1 and earning a first-round bye in the tournament. The Suns then knocked off Milwaukee and Chicago behind 23- and 31-point games from Warren and advanced to the championship game by defeating New Orleans on the strength of Booker's 31 points. However, they would fall to the Becky Hammon-coached Spurs despite 32 valiant points by undrafted rookie <span>Mike James</span>.</p>
<p>The four Suns under contract all performed well, with Warren earning All-NBA Summer League 1st Team honors. As for James, <span>Josh Harrellson</span>, and <span>Mickey McConnell</span> — who all showed NBA promise in their audition time — none earned a contract with the big club.</p>
<h4>July 2-September 28, 2015 — Morris Drama</h4>
<p>Any recounting of the Suns' 2015 offseason would be remiss without including the drama that enveloped the Morris twins. Those of you well-versed in the events may want to skip ahead. For those of you blissfully unaware there ever was a problem or for the masochists amongst our ranks, read on.</p>
<p>As part of the Suns' attempt to sign Aldridge during free agency, Phoenix needed to clear some cap space. That space came through a trade with the <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Pistons</a>, with Phoenix sending <span>Marcus Morris</span>, <span>Danny Granger</span>, and <span>Reggie Bullock</span> to Michigan for a 2020 2nd round pick. The trade was immediately followed by Markieff tweeting, "Lol this a foul game here man!"</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Lol this a foul game here man!</p>
— Keef Morris (@Keefmorris) <a href="https://twitter.com/Keefmorris/status/616698278789263361">July 2, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
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<p>Things continued to deteriorate as the summer wore on, with sparse contact between Markieff and the front office. Meanwhile, Marcus took a number of shots at the Suns organization through Twitter and the media, calling the team "clowns" among other things. Never were things worse than when Markieff was quoted in a <i>Philadelphia Inquirer</i> article as saying he wouldn't be in Phoenix for the 2015-16 season. He kept the heat on in early September by reasserting that his future wasn't in Phoenix via Twitter.</p>
<p>Yet the Suns continued to attest that everything would work itself out once Markieff got around his teammates, and when <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/1/27/7921383/super-bowl-2015-media-day-updates-news-live-coverage" class="sbn-auto-link">Media Day</a> came around on Sept. 28, Markieff was there along with everyone else. Whether this is truly over or just a lull is impossible to say with certainty, but for now, there is peace.</p>
<h4>Odds and Ends</h4>
<p>The Suns revamped and reorganized their coaching staff and front office over the summer.</p>
<p>Nate Bjorkgren, who coached the Suns' D-League affiliate Bakersfield Jam last season, was brought on as an assistant coach and player development coordinator. Other additions to coach Hornacek's staff include <span>Earl Watson</span> as an assistant coach and Jason Fraser as a player development assistant. As well, Corey Gaines was promoted to assistant coach. Former assistant coaches <span>Mark West</span> and <span>Kenny Gattison</span> were not retained, with West returning to his role as vice president of player relations while Gattison's contract was not renewed. <span>Jerry Sichting</span> and <span>Mike Longabardi</span> remain on Hornacek's staff.</p>
<p><span>Chris Jent</span> was tabbed to replace Bjorkgren as head coach of the Jam.</p>
<p>The Suns also promoted Bubba Burrage to director of player personnel in place of John Treloar, added Courtney Witte as director of scouting, and Antonio Williams as a scout.</p>
https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/10/23/9590172/Phoenix-Suns-2015-offseason-recapDeadpoolio2015-10-21T06:30:02-07:002015-10-21T06:30:02-07:00BSOTS 2015-16 Season Preview: Guards
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<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Phoenix Suns will rely on their playmakers this year, continuing to push the pace with dual playmakers in Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe, with Ronnie Price providing scrappiness behind them.</p> <p>The guard spots for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> have been polarizing for the past two seasons. In 2013-14 it was the question of what position <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> would play alongside <span>Goran Dragic</span> and how the two would work together. In 2014-15 it was the same question, except the team had to also find time and shots for a very good sixth man in <span>Isaiah Thomas</span>.</p>
<p>It's year three of the Ryan McDonough and <span>Jeff Hornacek</span> era in Phoenix and now the team has clarity at the position, at least in their starting lineup and who will be taking a bulk of the minutes. Yes that's right, there are still questions. They are much more minor though and shouldn't present nearly as many issues as the past ones did. At least you would hope so...</p>
<p>Here's a breakdown of the guards.</p>
<h3>Eric Bledsoe</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/9/30/9423021/all-smiles-eric-bledsoe-is-ready-to-lead-the-phoenix-suns" target="_blank">I wrote about Bledsoe after media day</a> and that's where you can find the main gist of why I think he's headed for a big year. The short answer is that he has his best fit for a backcourt partner since he got here in <span>Brandon Knight</span> and won't have to worry much about sitting in the corner or wondering when he will get his touches.</p>
<p>The best quality about Bledsoe is his ability to get to the rim and finish as a point guard. However, after a season finishing around the likes of <span>LeBron James</span>, <span>Kevin Durant</span>, and <span>Dwyane Wade</span> in FG% on drives, Bledsoe regressed from 52.7% to 47.7% last season. Draw your own conclusions as to what the issue was there, but I'd expect him to get closer to that 53% number this year.</p>
<p>My view on Bledsoe is that he's a great player and that has a lot to do with the handful of quirks that make him the player he is.<a href="http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2014/8/21/6052073/film-study-remember-how-good-eric-bledsoe-was-last-season-for-the" target="_blank">Last summer I had a check-in on what those quirks are</a> and they are only going to be strengthened by his supporting cast this season. Brandon Knight is the best three-point shooter he's ever started with, Tyson Chandler is an elite pick-and-roll player, and the glimpses of <span>Markieff Morris's</span> improved three-point shooting would make the duo's pick-and-pop game much more lethal.</p>
<p>There's also what Bledsoe can improve on as a player himself and that comes down to decision making and his three-point shooting. Turnover leaders are usually rubbish because the best players in the universe are mostly at the top of the list, but Bledsoe isn't in that company and yet, he finds himself near the top. <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/player/_/stat/turnovers/sort/avgTurnovers/order/false" target="_blank">He was ninth last year</a><a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/player/_/stat/turnovers/sort/avgTurnovers/order/false"> </a>and is much closer to the group on that leaderboard that is unacceptable like <span>Tony Wroten</span> and Michael Carter Williams as opposed to the LeBron James, <span>John Wall</span> and <span>James Harden</span> group.</p>
<p>Whether it's how often he fails to create a good look when a play breaks down, his clock management in crunch time, or occasionally getting out of control, there's some changes that are needed. I personally love his aggression as a passer when he drives, but it's a large source of his turnovers and he's got to get better. Keep an eye on 'em.</p>
<p>His shooting is pretty simple. The Suns need two out of three of Bledsoe, <span>P.J. Tucker</span>, and Morris to be at least league average from deep and one of them probably needs to be Bledsoe. He almost did it in 2013-14 at 36% so he's shown he can get there. His problem is not on open looks either. <a href="http://nyloncalculus.com/stats/player-shooting-breakdowns/" target="_blank">According to Nylon Calculus</a>, Bledsoe shot 44.2% on three-point attempts when there wasn't a defender within six feet. He's capable of the number.</p>
<p>We can't conclude on Bledsoe without talking about how good of a defender he is. It's important not to overlook the value of having your best perimeter defender at point guard, a position that is absolutely loaded in the NBA right now. Bledsoe will continue to improve and isn't that far away from starting to make a case for at least some All-Defense votes.</p>
<p>Bledsoe is the best player on this team and the Suns come awfully close to a playoff spot if they get an All-Star caliber Bledsoe like we saw in 2013-14. I think that's the player we see this season.</p>
<h3>Brandon Knight</h3>
<p>This season, Suns fans should be the most excited for an extended look at Bledsoe and Knight together in the backcourt. Knight only had seven games where he played at least 30 minutes before he got hurt. That wasn't enough time for Knight to get used to this team, his team to get used to him, or for him to develop chemistry with Bledsoe. That's not the case anymore. Bledsoe and Knight have had this summer and preseason to work out the kinks and be ready for the start of the season.</p>
<p>Knight's strengths go together very well with Bledsoe's strengths. Knight's a terrific shooter. He put up a 41% number in Milwaukee last season before the trade. Tyson Chandler admitted on <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/1/27/7921383/super-bowl-2015-media-day-updates-news-live-coverage">media day</a> that he didn't know how good of a shooter Knight was and it's telling that that was the first thing Chandler brought up when he talked about Knight. Now that it's been eight months and change since the trade, the Suns are going to be able to get more looks like this for Knight.</p>
<p><span><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OmlYw4wuG1A" frameborder="0"></iframe></span></p>
<p>That clip highlights a strength for Bledsoe, which is his passing. Knight's not the passer that Bledsoe is and that's okay because he's much better at creating his shot out of any situation. Knight can give your team the normal "point guard" duties as a passer, but he has some awful turnovers every now and then that are simply due to accuracy. Once again, that works because he's with Bledsoe in the backcourt.</p>
<p>Despite the numbers, Knight is a very good shot creator and maker. It comes down to creating better looks for himself and doing that more consistently, both of which he seems capable of. Here's an example of the good and bad with Knight in the same game.</p>
<p><span><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4TxvvtRG61Q" frameborder="0"></iframe></span></p>
<p>That first floater was a horrible decision, but the second one wasn't and he proved that the shot was no problem despite the degree of difficulty. That's also another example of a set that gets Knight the ball in his spots. Not to bash <span>Alex Len</span> as a screen setter, but imagine the improvement you get from having Chandler setting those screens.</p>
<p>What Knight needs to clean up in his game are the long 2's. They are arguably the worst shot in basketball and Knight's handle is good enough to create better shots. <a href="http://on.nba.com/1k9YzNV" target="_blank">Knight took 157 shots in this area</a> last season and failed to shoot even league average in any three of the zones for a very inefficient shot. Here's an example where he squares up D-Wade in order to take the shot.</p>
<p><span><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XNP3kCuiiEA" frameborder="0"></iframe></span></p>
<p>Having both of your guards unable to create good looks on broken possessions is a huge problem and Knight is the one that's closer to correcting that problem.</p>
<p>That does not agree with the numbers though. Out of the 26 point guards that qualified for the 2014-15 final leaders in FG%, Knight's total season percentage of 42% was 18th, right below Elfrid Payton. The worst part is that's tied for Knight's best percentage of his career. We all know Knight is a better offensive player than that number and should be able to get that number to around 44-46% to be among the likes of <span>Monta Ellis</span>, John Wall, and Bledsoe.</p>
<p>That sounds like a lot of concern, but you want to hear the fun part? He doesn't turn 24 until December. He will improve just like Bledsoe has and like Bledsoe, he's already a good enough defensive player to not require a ton of focus on defense. <a href="http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/3/12/8203015/suns-youth-gives-fans-a-reason-to-be-excited-for-the-rest-of-the" target="_blank">In mid-March I said he needs to either be </a>better at choosing his shots, playmaking, or attacking the rim. I'm confident that he will continue to grow and like Bledsoe, correct one of his flaws for this season.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>(It's worth noting here that I see <span>Sonny Weems</span> as a two-guard and the first guard off the bench for the beginning of this season. <a href="http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/10/20/9572397/bsots-2015-16-season-preview-the-phoenix-suns-wings" target="_blank">Sam did a terrific job of covering him in the wings</a> section. I still have him as a shooting guard though, so keep that in mind when I evaluate on these next three players.)</p>
<p>****</p>
<h3><span>Devin Booker</span></h3>
<p>I think <span>Devin Booker</span> will be a key part of the rotation by the end of the season. He's the youngest player in the NBA right now, but he doesn't play like one. It's not like all second-generation players are fantastic, but Booker seems like a natural when ti comes to floor movement and court presence. He understands where to go and how the ball should move.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/8/13/9146805/markieff-morris-is-on-his-way-out-so-who-steps-up-for-the-phoenix" target="_blank">Here was my mega-dive on Booker's summer league.</a> Yes, it's just summer league, but Booker showed us what he's all about. He's a tremendous shooter in any situation, knows where to be at all times, and has fantastic instincts with the ball that never appear to have him panic.</p>
<p>The battle for Booker and is playing time is going to be defense. He's a player that oozes basketball IQ, but that can only get you so far in your rookie year. Booker projects to be at least a solid defender. This isn't his prime though and even if he is a below average defender in his rookie year, he is still going to hit the dreaded "rookie wall" and it's going to hit him hard.</p>
<p>When it comes to his chances of playing, none of that really matters. What matters is that Booker can shoot the absolute lights out of the ball. Still not sure on that?</p>
<p><span><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/44DYu24SUzI" frameborder="0"></iframe></span></p>
<p>You with me now? The main factor for playing time here is that Booker is competing for minutes with two guys that present question marks. I'm a Sonny Weems guy, but how much of his all-around game is going to transfer to the NBA and what if he isn't at least an average defender? Wouldn't you rather have Booker making an occasional mistake on defense while providing maximum spacing and making his shots instead of Weems's contributing where he can?</p>
<p>Then there's <span>Archie Goodwin</span> and his elite skill of slashing. That simply doesn't come close to the impact of Booker's shooting and doesn't match with either point guard. When Brandon Knight is commanding his own offense with Eric Bledsoe on the bench, does it really work to have him off the ball again with a guy who gets to the rim? Eric Bledsoe needs spacing to get to the rim, so how does that work with Goodwin? What about the spacing for Goodwin when he's with Bledsoe?</p>
<p>Even with Weems getting a good chunk of minutes, there's still time for Booker to get on the floor. Hornacek showed off a potential stagger in the first preseason game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Sacramento Kings</a> when he brought Weems in for Bledsoe towards the end of the first quarter, and then brought Booker and Bledsoe in for Knight and Weems. He even played Weems and Booker together with Booker at small forward. That can work for Booker on certain nights defensively and that's what a coach like Hornacek will look for and take advantage of.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that Booker is going to play. Don't expect it to be right away, but don't forget about him either.</p>
<h3>Archie Goodwin</h3>
<p>Last summer <a href="http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2014/8/20/6048145/is-archie-goodwin-ready-for-the-phoenix-suns-rotation" target="_blank">I asked if Archie Goodwin was ready for the rotation</a>. This summer <a href="http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/4/28/8504975/2014-2015-phoenix-suns-report-cards-archie-goodwin-still-needs-to-grow" target="_blank">Goodwin didn't receive a good report card due to a lack of improvement</a> and even had us bringing up his contract status. It's not that fair because Goodwin is only 21 years old and the Suns drafted him knowing that he would take some time.</p>
<p>As it turns out, this year's draft turned out the way it did and now Goodwin is potentially buried in the rotation during the season he should start making significant appearances.</p>
<p>Like I said in the report card, Goodwin's ability to attack the rim did not fall off in his transition to the NBA and even with teams knowing that's what he's going to do. He's a phenomenal attacker and nothing is going to change about that.</p>
<p>The evolution of him as a player is the next step for him to make an impact for the Suns and at the start of year three, it looks like we are still going to be waiting on that. He still looks too clueless to play point guard, sometimes struggles with basic plays so much that they become turnovers, and still only has one speed. He had some of the worst FG% and AST/TO numbers in the NBA last season.</p>
<p>That's not even touching on his defense or his shooting and that's why it's time to sound the alarm and panic. I don't think anyone doubts Goodwin's potential. NBA teams should be calling McDonough to see if he's ready to let Goodwin go. There's too much talent and development time left for his career to be in question yet. It's just been at too slow of a pace for him to make a solid NBA rotation right now and keep up with a team trying to rise to a playoff spot this season.</p>
<p>Booker's selection in the draft really cemented this. My take on the selection was that the Suns didn't look at Booker in the draft and say "what about Archie?" and even more so, didn't ask "well where does Archie go when Bogdan arrives, wins 9 championships, and they name the state after him?" For me personally, It looks like it's the end and not all of that is on Goodwin, which is the biggest blow. He should still see some minutes though so who knows, maybe this is the year.</p>
<h3><span>Ronnie Price</span></h3>
<p>How much we see of Ronnie Price is going to depend on how Hornacek staggers his two starting point guards. It looks like Hornacek will use the same stagger as last season: Bledsoe will come out first and Knight will run the offense for the remainder of the first quarter and then Bledsoe will take back the wheel at the start of the second quarter.</p>
<p>That staggering does not require Ronnie Price to play if Hornacek gets creative with his wings. How much Goodwin and Booker play depends on this. That means we will probably see Price every now and then, but it should not be for longer than 8-12 minutes per game.</p>
<p>As far as a player like Price goes, that's fine because of the players he will be playing with. Alex Len will be playing against someone he is better than basketball at most of the time he comes off the bench, <span>T.J. Warren</span> is a scoring machine who deserves the ball, and <span>Mirza Teletovic</span> and Markieff Morris are capable offensive players. Price isn't the type of player to not look for his own shot, but he has the offensive weapons around him if he so chooses.</p>
<p>That's still not asking too much of Price. It's what should be a minor role and shouldn't influence the game much either. Being a veteran and a persistent defender should make that true.</p>
<p>The most important part of Price's time on the team is his locker room presence. His teammates spoke highly of him on media day and he's just one of those people who has a positive presence. That fits right alongside <span>Tyson Chandler's</span> veteran role on the team and those two should really do wonders for his team's chemistry.</p>
<p>For me, the defining image of the preseason was seeing the entire Suns bench not only engaged, but extremely active in their cheering from the bench against the Kings. That's not something you saw much from this team unless their was a big play or it was late in the game and Suns fans should expect more of it. That's what a guy like Price brings with his energy.</p>
https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/10/21/9581903/bright-side-of-the-suns-2015-16-phoenix-suns-season-preview-guardsKellan Olson2015-10-20T05:35:00-07:002015-10-20T05:35:00-07:00BSotS 2015-16 Season Preview: The Wings
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<p>After dumping Marcus Morris, Danny Granger and Reggie Bullock on the Pistons over the summer, the Suns cleared the way for wings such as P.J. Tucker, T.J. Warren and newcomer Sonny Weems to take center stage. </p> <p>At the end of the 2014-15 season, the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Suns</a> were faced with a major logjam at small forward. <span>P.J. Tucker</span> was still the starter at that position for the third straight season. But minutes also had to be allocated to <span>Marcus Morris</span>, <span>Gerald Green</span> and prospect T.J. Warren. That left only a total of 75 minutes for former first-round pick <span>Reggie Bullock</span>, and veteran wing <span>Danny Granger</span> did not even play due to injury but appeared enthusiastic about a potential resurgence with Phoenix the following season.</p>
<p>Going into the 2015-16 season, the situation on the wings is a lot less complicated. Following a salary dump trade with the <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Pistons</a>, Warren and Tucker are the only full-time small forwards left on the roster. In addition to those two, free agent acquisition <span>Sonny Weems</span> will also be available for some minutes on the wings.</p>
<p>Here's a breakdown of the wings situation, player by player.</p>
<h3>P.J. Tucker</h3>
<p>P.J. Tucker is heading into his 4th season with Phoenix, which is a pretty long time for a role player. A healthy 70-80 game season from Tucker would propel him into the franchise's top 25 all-time leaders in games played, virtually tied with greats such as Connie Hawkins and <span>Jason Kidd</span>.</p>
<p>Tucker isn't a flashy player, but he has been consistent throughout his stint in the desert. Tucker's per 36 minute production during the 2014-15 season was almost identical to the production from his 2013-14 campaign, with the lone exception being that his three-point shooting dropped by close to four percent. If P.J. can continue to provide about 10 points and 7.5 rebounds per 36 minutes on 35%+ shooting from deep, he'll give the team all that they ask from him on offense. At age 30 regression is always a possibility, but as a player who relies more heavily on shooting than athleticism Tucker will probably be just fine.</p>
<p>Of course, we all know that defense is the real reason Tucker is still the starting small forward. For example, in 11 career games against James Harden's <a href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Rockets</a> Tucker has held the MVP candidate to just 39 percent shooting from the field and 31 percent shooting from deep. Harden averaged close to 25 points per game in those matches, but he also turned the ball over an average of five times per game.</p>
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<h3>T.J. Warren</h3>
<p>A lot of more casual Suns fans may not be particularly well acquainted with <span>T.J. Warren's</span> game at the start of the season. That should quickly change.</p>
<p>Although Warren may not yet possess the defensive prowess required to steal the starting SF spot from Tucker, his offensive production will be critical to the second unit's effectiveness.</p>
<p>In March and April of last season, Warren averaged eight points in 20.5 minutes per game on a whopping 55 percent from the field. His outside shot throughout the season was not impressive but he broke down defenses using an assortment of floaters and runners as well as layups and dunks resulting from off-ball cuts to the basket. According to NBA.com/stats, Warren had 37 field-goal attempts on cuts last season in 40 games, and he scored 1.42 points per possession on those plays. That efficiency puts him in the 88th percentile among all NBA players. For comparison, Tucker attempted just 29 shots in 78 games and posted a PPP of 0.98, putting him in the 18th percentile. That's a world of difference.</p>
<p>Warren also dominated summer league and continues to play well in the preseason, proving that he is a terrific breakout candidate for the season ahead. The sooner he can develop a consistent outside jumper the sooner he can be a 20 PPG wing in the NBA.</p>
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<h5><span>Sonny Weems</span></h5>
<p>Weems is in the position that Tucker was in just a few years ago, returning to NBA action after spending several seasons overseas. Weems spent one season with Lithuanian club BC Zalgiris before playing three years for Euroleague powerhouse CSKA Moscow. He was part of a Euroleague "big three" during the 2014-15 season that also included Milos Teodosic and <span>Nando De Colo</span>.</p>
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<p>Weems is a different player now than he was five years ago with the <a href="https://www.raptorshq.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Toronto Raptors</a>. He is still a threat in transition, but he has added a much more consistent three-point shot to his game and spent a lot of time with Moscow practicing his corner three. Throughout his four seasons in the Euroleague Weems shot 37 percent from deep, albeit on a slightly shorter three-point shot. If he can keep that percentage at 35 percent or better with the Suns, he could be a good option to sit in the corner and space the floor when Tucker is on the bench.</p>
<p>Another overlooked aspect of Weems' game is his improved court vision. Weems often talks about how playing for one of the best teams in Europe made him less focused on scoring and more focused on facilitating, and there is plenty of evidence for that claim. Weems went from being a 1.5 APG player with the Raptors to averaging close to four assists per game on CSKA Moscow. So far in the preseason he dished out five assists against Utah, four against Houston and eight against Denver.</p>
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<p>Weems will not bring the same physicality or intensity on the defensive end that Tucker brings, but in a best-case scenario even that could change. When Tucker made the transition from being a star in Europe to a role player in the NBA, his mindset changed. He did not have a reputation for tremendous hustle in the overseas leagues, perhaps because he was playing such a key role that he wasn't looked on to contribute the little things. His role changed drastically with Phoenix, and Weems' role will change too, possibly leading to yet another shift in mindset. The other possibility is that Weems fails to make that transition and instead becomes the next <span>Josh Childress</span>, who the Suns are still paying for to this day.</p>
<p>The Suns are clearly weaker on the wings than they are in the frontcourt or backcourt, as P.J. Tucker is nowhere near as valuable as Bledsoe or Chandler. In fact, despite holding down the starting SF spot Tucker is probably among the 5-10 worst starters at his position in the NBA.</p>
<p>But there is reason to be excited about the future, and that reason is T.J. Warren. He's no sure bet yet, but he's going to get minutes and he's going to develop. Having Warren, Len and Booker all on the bench should give Suns fans a lot of confidence about where the team could be in two or three years.</p>
https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/10/20/9572397/bsots-2015-16-season-preview-the-phoenix-suns-wingsSamuel Cooper2015-10-19T07:00:06-07:002015-10-19T07:00:06-07:002015/16 Season Preview: The Big Guys
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<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Suns will enter the 2015/16 season with a much more balanced roster than they had a year ago, with more viable options in the frontcourt and less shot-takers in the backcourt.</p> <p>After a the dust finally settled on a disappointing 2014/15 season in which the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Suns</a> collapsed under the weight of injuries and a stagnant offense down the stretch, GM Ryan McDonough identified a few key areas of need to be addressed during the following summer: Size up front, veteran leadership and perimeter shooting.</p>
<p><span>Brandan Wright</span> played well during his short stint as a Sun, but his lithe frame and quiet demeanor left something to be desired up front. <span>Markieff Morris</span> had a very mixed 2014/15 campaign, but most troubling was the severe drop in production from the power forward spot when he headed to the bench. <span>Alex Len</span> had something of a breakout season, but his effectiveness diminished under the grind of manning the starting center spot.</p>
<p>In an effort to remedy these issues, the Suns replaced Wright with veteran <span>Tyson Chandler</span> and brought in <span>Mirza Teletovic</span> and <span>Jon Leuer</span> to back up Morris, whose departed brother Marcus proved ill-equipped to play amongst the big boys.</p>
<p>Will these moves help the Suns keep pace in the unforgiving Western Conference?</p>
<h4>The Starters</h4>
<p>Chandler and Morris will give the Suns a starting frontcourt that is as talented as their personalities are colorful.</p>
<p>Both players are known to express themselves when a disagreement arises between them and the officiating crew, but hopefully Chandler can convince Morris to at least cut down on the technical fouls of the more intellectually vapid variety, such as yelling "And-1" at a referee that just called a foul in his favor.</p>
<p>As for actual basketball, this looks at a glance to be a classic defense/offense pairing, but don't discount the effect that the Chandler has on a team's offense. While his scoring abilities are certainly limited, he has turned rim-diving into a science over the course of his career and thus creates a gravitational pull in the paint that opens up the entire floor.</p>
<p>The importance of using perimeter shooting to space out the floor and create offense in the paint is well established in today's NBA, but it's more of a symbiotic relationship than many people realize -- without an inside threat there is no reason to leave shooters open in the first place.</p>
<p>The most important factor to the Suns' offense this season might be Morris. If he can expand his game to include better spotup shooting and dribble-drives to the rim, as he has shown glimpses of in the preseason, then the threat of Chandler's lobs and the penetration of guards <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> and <span>Brandon Knight</span> will be that much more significant. But if he reverts back to the same style of play of 2014/15, consisting of ball-stopping isolation plays that result in a scarce amount of extra points from the freethrow or three-point lines, Suns fans might be in for more of the same despite the addition of Chandler.</p>
<p>How the Suns utilize these two players will be a major factor this season.</p>
<h4>The Reserves</h4>
<p>Alex Len took a big step from his mulligan rookie year, winning the starting center position over a stationary <span>Miles Plumlee</span> in 2014/15 while putting up per-36 numbers of 10.8 rebounds 2.5 blocks and starting 44 games on the season.</p>
<p>While he battled through various injuries, they seemed to mostly be of the more freakish variety, such as getting torpedoed in mid-air by <span>Robin Lopez</span>, getting his pinky finger caught in a jersey during practice and then finally suffering a broken nose late in the season.</p>
<p>Still, the rigors of an 82-game season appeared to be a bit too much for Len even at a paltry 22 MPG, which made Chandler a welcome addition. Much has been made of the <a href="http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/10/10/9492631/phoenix-suns-aftermath-tyson-chandler-markieff-morris-gush-over-alex" target="_blank">blossoming bromance</a> between the two big men, but the most important long-term effect of Chandler's arrival might that it provides a means to preserve the health and future of Len, who is clearly a unique talent.</p>
<p>Look for a big season from the Ukranian as he feasts on reserve bigs, curbs his tendency to foul anything that twitches and hones his timing on the pick and roll.</p>
<p>To fill the void behind Morris, Mirza Teletovic and Jon Leuer are developing into an interesting subplot. Can Teletovic find his shooting stroke in time to keep Leuer from eating into his minutes? Both players can shoot the rock, and both are better rebounders than Morris (impressive, I know), but will Leuer's experience in banging with the big boys in Memphis eventually give him the inside track to become a full-time NBA backup? Or will Mirza's more natural stretch-4 capabilities make him an indispensable reserve for a Suns team that runs a system dependent on quick-fire shooting?</p>
<p>While Leuer was buried behind reserves in Memphis such as <span>Kosta Koufos</span>, <span>Ed Davis</span> and then combo-forward <span>Jeff Green</span>, Teletovic has languished in a <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Brooklyn Nets</a> organization that seems to revile good basketball. In Phoenix there is a great need for one or both of these players to step up, and this is an excellent opportunity for them to make their case as they head into free agency in 2016.</p>
<p>Stay tuned.</p>
<h4>In case of emergency...</h4>
<p><span>Henry Sims</span> is poised to take over the role of emergency big man from <span>Earl Barron</span>, and not a moment too soon. Sims played well during his stint with the 76er's, but not apparently not well enough to hold a starting spot for an organization that is always looking to give minutes to the next dude that no one has heard of. As soon as a player proves himself in Philly, he is either demoted, waived or flipped for a 2028 second-round pick.</p>
<p>It's great for comedic fodder, but it's a bummer for a player like Sims, who worked his way into being a decent rotation big man only to find no demand for his services once he hit free agency. Should injuries strike either Chandler or Len, which seems inevitable at some point, Sims would be a great option to sop up an extra 10-15 minutes in a pinch.</p>
<p>The Suns should know how important this can be after getting caught with no depth after last season's trade deadline and having to dust off Barron. A sound emergency plan can go a long way.</p>
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https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/10/19/9560209/phoenix-suns-2015-16-season-preview-the-big-guysrollin j. mason2015-10-08T07:00:10-07:002015-10-08T07:00:10-07:00Season Preview: Revamped Suns aim for playoffs
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<img alt="There might be defense in Phoenix this season. No, really." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3ry_t1CKv4Vd-LRqAi-wkJXx4tU=/0x302:2835x2192/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47361158/usa-today-8832721.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>There might be defense in Phoenix this season. No, really. | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Phoenix Suns will trot out yet another revamped roster for 2015/16. Will fewer cooks in the kitchen and a new dynamic in the locker room mean an end to their playoff drought?</p> <p><b>Team Name:</b> <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a></p>
<p><b>Last Year's Record:</b> 39-43</p>
<p><b>Key Losses:</b> <span>Marcus Morris</span>, <span>Gerald Green</span>, <span>Brandan Wright</span></p>
<p><b>Key Additions:</b> <span>Tyson Chandler</span>, <span>Mirza Teletovic</span>, <span>Sonny Weems</span>, Jon Leuer, <span>Devin Booker</span>, <span>Ronnie Price</span></p>
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<h4>1. What Significant Moves were made during the off-season?</h4>
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<p>There wasn't much earth left for Suns' GM Ryan McDonough to scorch by the time the summer began. Following the madness at the trade deadline that saw five players shipped out and only <span>Brandon Knight</span> coming to the desert, the Suns finally collapsed under the weight of a couple key injuries down the stretch and entered the offseason with a number of holes to fill.</p>
<p>They swung for the fences, nearly pulling off a coup to bring <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span> to Phoenix to pair in the frontcourt with center Tyson Chandler, who was quickly signed to a 4 year, $52 million contract. This moved promising young big man <span>Alex Len</span> to the bench, forming something Suns fans aren't used to: a firm foundation at the center spot.</p>
<p>Knight struggled to find a groove during his short stint in Phoenix before an ankle injury shut down his season, but the Suns were undeterred, locking up the combo guard for 5 years at $70 million. Knight put up impressive numbers before the All-Star break as a Milwaukee Buck, and will join up with <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> in the backcourt to revive the dual-PG system that had unanticipated success in 2013/14 with <span>Goran Dragic</span>.</p>
<p>The Suns also cleared out a logjam at small forward in a trade with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Pistons</a> that sent away Marcus Morris, <span>Reggie Bullock</span> and <span>Danny Granger</span> for only a future second-round pick. This opened up minutes for <span>T.J. Warren</span>, who displayed an impressive scoring ability after finally earning rotation minutes during the late stages of his rookie season.</p>
<p>Forward Mirza Teletovic was signed to help stretch the floor with his career 36.2 3P%, and Sonny Weems will be returning to the NBA after his stint in CSKA (Moscow), where he developed a three-point shot to add to his multi-faceted style of play. Both players received only one-year guarantees, with the Suns holding a team option on Weems.</p>
<p>To shore up the frontline depth, second-round pick Andrew Harrison was flipped for Jon Leuer on draft day. This is important because Earl Barron actually received rotation minutes during the latter stages of the 2014/15 season.</p>
<p>Leuer has potential as a stretch big, hitting 36.7% from 3 on only 90 career attempts. While he isn't in immediate position to challenge anyone for minutes, he is already making his presence felt on the roster, going for 17 points and 13 rebounds in only 19 minutes during the Suns' first preseason game.</p>
<p>Ronnie Price was also brought in on a one-year deal to provide encouragement and emergency point guard duty.</p>
<h4>2. What are the team's biggest strengths?</h4>
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<p>It's not easy to say right now. The Suns are ostensibly built to be a spacing-and-shooting team driven by dual ballhandlers, but there doesn't appear to be a wealth of shooters on this roster. It also remains to be seen how well Knight and Bledsoe can complement each other, and it is a bit troubling that they share some of the same weaknesses (turnovers, overall decision-making).</p>
<p>As utterly bizarre as it seems, the Suns' biggest strength might be defense. Chandler and Len will provide the team with 48 minutes of rim protection as long as both are healthy and available. Bledsoe is one of the best defenders at his position when locked in, <span>P.J. Tucker</span> has guarded everyone from <span>Monta Ellis</span> to <span>DeMarcus Cousins</span>, and Weems has proved to be a plus defender both in the NBA and overseas.</p>
<p>While their offense has lost some firepower since last opening night, the roles appear to be more defined this time around. The plethora of score-first players has been systematically whittled down and replaced with a group that seems much more poised to complement one another rather than wrestle away shot attempts.</p>
<p>It might not be as talented, but it figures to be easier on the eyes than the previous iteration, which was rife with improv acts and devoid of assists. With a team playing for each other rather than themselves, who knows what might happen?</p>
<p> </p>
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<h4>3. What are the team's biggest weaknesses?</h4>
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<p>The Suns thrived in 2013/14 with a pace-and-space attack, ranking 8th in both Offensive Rating (109.5) and 3-point shooting (.372). Last offseason, they effectively replaced stretch big <span>Channing Frye</span> with <span>Isaiah Thomas</span>, moving <span>Markieff Morris</span> to the starting power forward spot. With less driving lanes, the roster full of high-usage scorers resorted to chucking isolation jumpers and the shooting slowly evaporated with the deteriorating chemistry (.341 from 3 by season's end).</p>
<p>It's hard to feel confident that the team's three-point shooting was improved this summer. Warren and third-year guard <span>Archie Goodwin</span> combined to shoot 27.2% in 2014/15, while Morris and Bledsoe are both only at 32% for their respective careers. Weems hit a respectable percentage overseas (36.8% over four seasons), but his NBA 3P% currently stands at 24.1.</p>
<p>The purest shooter on this team is probably <span>Devin Booker</span>, who just turned 19 years old and is currently the youngest player in the NBA. With a system that relies heavily on shooting to be successful, the Suns basically need every shooter on the team to improve from last season.</p>
<p>Additionally, the bench in general looks to be a wildcard at this point, with most key contributors either being very young or looking to regain their footing in the NBA.</p>
<h4>4. What are the goals for this team?</h4>
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<p>Playoffs, as always.</p>
<p>If the Suns fall short again, it will be the longest playoff drought in their 47-year history. Playing in the Western Conference without a true star player will again complicate matters, but the fanbase in Phoenix desperately needs something to get excited about and has offered about as much patience as can reasonably be expected.</p>
<p>If playoffs are out of the question, some stability and professionalism would be a decent consolation prize. Only five players remain from the 2013 opening night roster, and many of the departed have voiced displeasure with the organization on their way out of town. Most fans realize that building a competitive roster requires a lot of eggs to be broken, but the chorus of disgruntled players in Phoenix has been deafening.</p>
<p>Add in the unseemly barrage of technical fouls last season, plus a felony assault charge for good measure, and quite frankly the last twelve months have been embarrassing. For a franchise with a rich history of likable players and fun teams, it should be a top priority to put a group of guys together that are easy to root for.</p>
<p>The organization seems to have realized this. They made locker-room leadership a top priority of the summer, scoring big in that department with Chandler. After returning from training camp they held a free scrimmage in their old stomping grounds, affectionately called the 'Madhouse on McDowell', replete with appearances by various Suns legends. The next logical step would seem to be extending the contract of their charismatic head coach, <span>Jeff Hornacek</span>, who has impressively secured a winning record during his first two seasons despite the lack of a star player, endless roster turnover, and considerable turmoil off the court.</p>
<p>Hornacek is entering the final year of his contract and is more recognizable in Phoenix than many of his players. Here's hoping the team plays well enough early on to secure their coach's job.</p>
<h4>5. What's going on with Markieff Morris?</h4>
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<p>Only Markieff knows. Well, and Marcus. He probably knows too.</p>
<p>After the trade of his brother sent Markieff into a tantrum both on Twitter and in the media proper that lasted the whole latter half of the summer, Morris reported to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/1/27/7921383/super-bowl-2015-media-day-updates-news-live-coverage">Media Day</a> and declared his wish to stay in Phoenix. He also refused to discuss his own behavior, giving the appearance of a man who isn't exactly penitent, but is willing to bear with the present situation for the sake of his teammates and his own future.</p>
<p>To suggest that the Suns are still fielding offers for Morris is a bit misleading. Until a contending team is assembled, it is reasonable to assume they are fielding offers for everyone.</p>
<p>Finding a trade partner for Morris figures to be quite difficult, however. He is facing charges for felony assault, and the trial proceedings are currently scheduled to last the majority of the season, if not longer. Marcus Morris was traded despite being charged with the exact same assault, but the Suns were able to secure nothing but a future second-rounder for him.</p>
<p>Markieff is a better player than his brother, and trading him for scraps is simply not a palatable proposition.</p>
<p>Trade rumors are certain to swirl during the upcoming season, but any team interested in his services would have to relinquish a player of comparable value. So why would a front office willingly swap two players who are more or less equal just to land the one with legal troubles and a recent history of other behavioral issues?</p>
<p>They wouldn't.</p>
<p>Markieff has dug a hole to deep to climb from in Phoenix, and both sides are likely going to have to get used to each other for the time being.</p>
<h4>6. Playoff Predictions?</h4>
<p>I honestly have no idea what this team will do. If their supporting cast meshes well and one or both of Bledsoe/Knight has a career year, this could be a very good team. Chandler and Len will do all the dirty work in the paint, and there are enough lunchpail guys on this team to make me feel wary about doubting them.</p>
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<p>On the other hand, there are a few too many question marks to allow much confidence until we all get a long look at these guys.</p>
<p>Flip a coin. I really can't even guess.</p>
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https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/10/8/9476273/sb-nation-season-preview-the-phoenix-suns-aim-for-less-drama-morerollin j. mason