5 Completely Insane Lineups You Can Expect from the Phoenix Suns This Season
USA Today's Adi Joseph recently slotted the Phoenix Suns at No. 11 in the outlet's NBA Watchability Rankings.
"They overachieved a little last year...But they also had a great formula and promising rotation, most of which returns," writes Joseph. "They're deeper now, and they should be back in the playoff hunt."
Suns fans might lobby for a superior ranking, but it's worth remembering USA Today ranked this team dead last in its watchability rankings heading into the 2013-14 campaign. So when it comes to expectations, Phoenix has come a long way in the nation's eyes.
And after a few offseason tweaks, it could come even further.
Thanks to additions such as Isaiah Thomas, T.J. Warren, Zoran Dragic and Anthony Tolliver, head coach Jeff Hornacek will have plenty of options when it comes to experimenting with his rotations. And just as his decision to pair Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe broke the conventional mold for starting backcourts, some of this season's combinations could raise some eyebrows as well.
Here are five possibilities poised to do just that.
5. Wings Gone Wild
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Drafting 6'8" forward T.J. Warren with the 14th overall draft pick ensures the Phoenix Suns a level of lineup versatility they really didn't have a season ago.
In fact, his size and skill set make him an ideal candidate to occupy the 4 spot when head coach Jeff Hornacek opts to deploy a smaller lineup. If you want to see the Suns run the floor at full speed, Warren becomes a valuable weapon.
In June, ESPN Insider Amin Elhassan (subscription required) wrote:
"Warren is an offensively gifted player. The son of former eighth-round draft pick Tony Warren, he brings elite size for a wing to the table. He's an excellent finisher around the rim, with a knack for completing through contact and fouls. He wants to get out in transition and often will leak prematurely to do so.
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Once Warren finds a comfort zone at the NBA level, he should fit right into the team's up-tempo approach.
"For me it's just running the floor hard and having that knack to finish in transition…" Warren told reporters, during summer league play in July, reports Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk. "It's just finding my sweet spots, really."
So how might a wing-heavy lineup look like in Phoenix.
The first step is choosing one of several point guards to run the show—likely either Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe or Isaiah Thomas.
In most scenarios, a big man like Alex Len or Miles Plumlee can occupy the paint.
The other three positions—traditionally the 2, 3 and 4 spots—then go to swingmen who contribute the lineup's length and athleticism. So, you might see Warren, Gerald Green and P.J. Tucker on the floor at the same time.
It's the kind of combination that facilitates defensive switches, and it's a combination that certainly wouldn't slow the Suns down.
4. Larger Than Life
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Remember Alex Len?
After the Phoenix Suns selected him with the No. 5 overall pick in 2013, the 7'1" center saw limited action last season due to a combination of injury and inexperience. Through just 42 games, the Ukrainian tallied a modest two points and 2.4 rebounds per contest.
With another offseason and little more luck in his back pocket, the organization is hoping for bigger and better things.
That could lead to much bigger things for the lineup at large.
Third-year big man Miles Plumlee—who averaged 8.1 points and 7.8 rebounds a season ago—should also demonstrate some improvement. The 26-year-old is coming into his prime after starting 79 games last season, and there's no reason he couldn't line up alongside Len at times.
"Miles and Alex, to me, look like different players than what you saw mid-April when our season ended," general manager Ryan McDonough told reporters in September, per Paul Coro of AZ Central.
But if you're interested in size, why stop with Len and Plumlee?
With both Morris twins and new addition Anthony Tolliver all capable of spreading the floor, the Suns could play a more traditional power forward at the 3 in a bid to overwhelm opponents with size. On paper, Phoenix's interior options probably aren't one of its strengths.
Playing all of those options at the same time may help compensate for that.
3. Stretch 4s Galore
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No Channing Frye?
No problem.
The veteran stretch 4—who departed via free agency—will be missed to be sure, but the Phoenix Suns reacted quickly by signing six-year veteran Anthony Tolliver to fill Frye's shoes. Tolliver hasn't been especially productive since a 2009-10 stint with the Golden State Warriors, but he did make 41.3 percent of his three-point attempts last season with the Charlotte Hornets.
When the Suns really want to spread the floor without giving up too much size in the paint, a trio of sweet-shooting big men could do the trick.
Alongside Tolliver, Phoenix could throw in both Markieff and Marcus Morris in a bid to surround the floor with some sizable shooters.
Per the Suns' official Twitter account, Markieff said, "Coach told me I'll play the five a lot when we need to speed it up."
So it seems like a lineup along these lines is a legitimate possibility.
Given the increasing importance of spacing in the NBA, stretch 4s have never been more valuable. The Suns just happen to have a few of them, potentially causing all sorts of matchup problems for teams unprepared to adapt on the defensive end.
2. Family Affair
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Markieff and Marcus Morris aren't the only brothers populating the Phoenix Suns' roster these days.
With the addition of Goran Dragic's brother Zoran, head coach Jeff Hornacek can put familial chemistry to the test with two fraternal duos on the court at any given time. The novelty value alone would make the foursome (plus a center or swingman) one of the most unique lineups in all of basketball.
It might even be pretty good.
Goran's little brother averaged 14.1 points on 50-percent shooting at the FIBA World Cup in Spain, generating some interest in his services from around the NBA. The Suns had a natural advantage when it came to actually acquiring those services.
"Zoran might have a tough time breaking into Phoenix’s rotation immediately, but he provides nice depth," notes Pro Basketball Talk's Dan Feldman. "As he showed competing for Slovenia during the World Cup, the younger Dragic is a crafty scorer and solid passer."
So just in case the allure of shared DNA isn't enough to entertain, fans can probably count on a little extra craftiness.
That's always a plus.
Odds are we won't see much of this lineup, largely because we probably won't see much of Zoran. With guys such as Eric Bledsoe, Gerald Green and P.J. Tucker ahead of him in the rotation, minutes could be few and far between.
Hopefully those minutes are spent with family.
1. Point Guards Everywhere
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As if Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe weren't enough, the Phoenix Suns acquired Isaiah Thomas via sign-and-trade this summer and drafted Tyler Ennis in June.
So that's four point guards, three of whom (excluding Ennis) will almost certainly command significant playing time. The big question is whether any of that time will be spent together.
Head coach Jeff Hornacek had no problem pairing Dragic and Bledsoe in the backcourt last season, sacrificing a little size for a speedy attack capable of making plays and pushing the tempo. In theory, Hornacek could do something even more daring, deploying Dragic, Bledsoe and Thomas at the same time.
The trio might have difficulty defending against bigger swingmen, but there's a lot to like about its potential to carve opposing defenses up at will. Each of these floor generals can shoot, drive and pass—potentially generating an unstoppable flurry of perimeter activity and quickness.
Is it a sustainable approach? Probably not.
At the end of the day, there's a reason teams prefer more balanced lineups. There's a reason most teams like having some size on the floor.
That said, situations demanding a different look may well arise. And when they do, the Suns will be ready.
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