Ranking Phoenix Suns' Biggest Needs for 2015 NBA Offseason
The Phoenix Suns took a step backward last season, dropping from 48 to 39 wins while trading away a pair of integral rotation pieces in Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas. Fortunately, the Suns have plenty of young talent and a clear stylistic identity as a run-and-gun outfit.
"We're not far off," head coach Jeff Hornacek told reporters at his postseason press conference, per Matt Petersen of NBA.com. "A couple pieces here or there...they know that next year will be better."
Phoenix has $43 million committed to guaranteed salaries for the 2015-16 season which, with the cap expected to sit around $67.1 million next year, gives it some cash to spend. Throw in the No. 13 overall pick in Thursday's 2015 NBA draft, and the Suns will get their chance to find the pieces Hornacek talked about.
Here's how Phoenix's offseason priority list looks—in order of ascending importance.
3. Backup Big Man
The Suns have something in Alex Len, but there's only one of him and it's unclear whether he can stay healthy enough to log more than 20-25 minutes per night for a full season (he averaged 22 minutes per game over 69 contests last year). Maybe Len is due for a breakout campaign. But just in case he isn't, the Suns need a viable frontcourt presence to bolster their rotation.
Remember, this is a team that prefers to play undersized power forwards, which makes sense in a league rapidly embracing small ball. Both Marcus and Markieff Morris profile as useful next-generation 4s, but they aren't great rim protectors or rebounders.
According to Sean Deveney of SportingNews.com, it's pretty simple. "The team is too small, and will need to add some size. The good news is, there will be bigs available in the draft, and it is likely a quality center or power forward will slip into the late lottery."
Enter Frank Kaminsky, a 7'1" center with a sweet stroke out of Wisconsin.
Kaminsky isn't the only big man available in this year's draft, but he might be the most polished. Best of all, he could give the Suns a shot to play five-out basketball, spacing the floor to an absurd degree and allowing both Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight free reign to gash the lane.
Per ESPN.com's Chad Ford: "(Kaminsky is) more ready than most draft prospects to come in and do his thing. His ability to stretch the floor is especially appealing."
Kaminsky won't help compensate for Phoenix's lack of interior force (or defense), but he could give it the ability to field a terrifying offensive lineup without Len on the floor.
Myles Turner from Texas and Arkansas' Bobby Portis are also options if Kaminsky is off the board.
2. Wing Shooting
Landing Kaminsky (or Turner for that matter) would be a boon for the Suns' perimeter attack, but the quiet truth about this team is that it lacks shooting at positions that are supposed to have it.
Phoenix has its share of capable outside threats, but it lacks a truly dangerous one.
Last season, the Suns shot 34.1 percent from deep, which tied for 20th in the league. Of the likely returners next season, the accuracy rates from deep look like this:
| Marcus Morris | 313 | 112 | 35.8 |
| Eric Bledsoe | 272 | 88 | 32.4 |
| P.J. Tucker | 252 | 87 | 34.5 |
| Markieff Morris | 179 | 57 | 31.8 |
| Brandon Knight | 67 | 21 | 31.3 |
| Archie Goodwin | 41 | 12 | 29.3 |
| T.J. Warren | 21 | 5 | 23.8 |
A lot of passable shooters, but no great ones.
Now, if the Suns can somehow leave aside enough money after signing Knight to a new deal, San Antonio Spurs free-agent guard Danny Green would be a perfect fit. If Phoenix has to spend $12-15 million per year on Knight, Green and his career 42 percent stroke from deep might be too expensive.
And if the Spurs bring the band back together, perhaps he'll sign on to stay there at a discount for one more year.
Wesley Matthews, coming off an Achilles injury, might be a good buy-low candidate—especially with the Suns renowned training staff as a potential lure.
Barring a tremendous stroke of luck and/or some serious cap shenanigans, the Suns may not be able to secure an elite shooter on the market.
For that reason, Sam Vecenie of CBSSports.com likes former Kentucky guard Devin Booker as the best way to find some sniping through the draft:
"Why not take the best one in the draft? Booker could really help to space the floor in Phoenix for those point guards, and also help to create offense through his terrific quickness and off-ball movement. He's not the best defensive player yet and you'd need to play him with either Eric Bledsoe or P.J. Tucker pretty regularly so that they could take tougher defensive assignments. But overall, Booker really fits what the Suns want to do offensively to the point where they might be willing to go through the growing pains.
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Booker will be in high demand, and there's a good chance the Charlotte Hornets, who need shooting more desperately than the Suns, will snap him up at No. 9.
If the Suns wanted to fully commit to adding shooting, Georgia State's R.J. Hunter will likely be there at 13.
1. Internal Development
Organic growth always ranks high on the list of offseason priorities for every team, but these Suns need it more than most.
Of the eight players under guaranteed deals next year, only one, P.J. Tucker, is 26 or older. Bledsoe, Knight, both Morris brothers, Len, T.J. Warren and Archie Goodwin all played at least 500 minutes last season, and you could make the case that every one of them should improve next year.
What will be critical, though, is that in addition to fine-tuning their skills, this group produces growth in other areas.
Specifically, the Suns need a leader, and one has yet to clearly emerge from the team's talented core.
The Morris twins combined for 24 technical fouls last year. Bledsoe hasn't developed a voice yet and Knight simply wasn't around long enough to potentially fill that void.
Tucker is vocal, and his hard-nosed play commands respect. But he's not a star, and the Suns need someone who checks both boxes.
Phoenix has little time to sort out its plans for free agency and the draft, but then it'll have a few months to solidify roles and build skills. Hopefully, a leader emerges from that growth process.
If one does, the Suns will be right back in the thick of the playoff hunt out West next year.
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