Everything You Need to Know About the Phoenix Suns' 2015-16 NBA Season
After emerging as the darling of the Western Conference in 2013-14, the Phoenix Suns took a noticeable step back during the 2014-15 season. As such, the 2015-16 campaign will be all about doing what they couldn't last year: moving forward.
Last season saw the Suns bet big on an undersized core. They hit the ground running with three starting-caliber point guards in Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas, looking to overwhelm opponents with speed and versatility en route to their first playoff berth since 2010.
That initial model went up in smoke by the trade deadline. Phoenix shipped out Dragic (Miami Heat) and Isaiah Thomas (Boston Celtics) while acquiring Brandon Knight, a future-driven development that sealed the team's fate as a 39-win lottery component.
More change awaited the Suns over the offseason. They tinkered with the roster considerably, even entering the LaMarcus Aldridge-free-agent fray, placing an obvious premium on landing veteran performers. And now, with the 2015-16 crusade speeding toward tipoff, the Suns are left hoping their balancing act between rebuilding and competing will pay off.
Key Additions/Subtractions
- Additions: Devin Booker (draft), Tyson Chandler (free agent), Ronnie Price (free agent), Mirza Teletovic (free agent), Sonny Weems (free agent)
- Subtractions: Reggie Bullock (trade), Danny Granger (trade), Gerald Green (free agent), Marcus Morris (trade)
Most of the Suns' biggest changes took place at the trade deadline. That's when they abandoned their previous point guard experiment and invested in the backcourt pairing of Bledsode and Knight.
Phoenix doubled down on this partnership over the summer, signing Knight, a restricted free agent, to a five-year, $70 million contract. The Suns now have more than $125 million committed to their starting backcourt over the next half-decade.
Giving chase to Aldridge did result in some offseason overhaul. After reaching terms on a four-year, $52 million deal with Tyson Chandler, the Suns sent Danny Granger, Reggie Bullock and Marcus Morris to the Detroit Pistons in a clear salary dump. While they inevitably struck out on Aldridge, they did beef up their frontcourt rotation with the addition of Mirza Teletovic, who, when healthy, is a serviceable stretch 4.
Rookie shooting guard Devin Booker, whom Phoenix drafted with the No. 13 pick, could end up playing a pivotal role right away. The Suns don't appear married to Archie Goodwin, and their dual-point guard lineups call for swingmen who can defend multiple positions. Booker has the potential to be one of those players.
Storylines to Watch
All eyes must be squarely kept on Markieff Morris to start the 2015-16 calendar—even after his training-camp about-face.
“I want to be here," Morris said, per AZCentral.com's Paul Coro.
Well, that's news to just about everyone.
Apparently incensed by the Suns' decision to trade his brother, Marcus, the remaining Morris twin demanded a trade of his own, as Coro detailed on numerous occasions. So while Morris' abrupt change of tune might seem encouraging, there are some things he can't take back—this tweet, for instance:
Beyond the exceedingly bizarre and clearly tenuous Morris situation, the Suns still need to find their identity. They're built to run and score, but their roster is a jumbled jigsaw of projects, young cornerstones and veterans who are supposed to help them win now.
Are the Suns good enough to contend for a playoff seed in the West? If not, will they consider making substantial changes at the trade deadline, as they did last season? The questions write themselves.
X-Factor: Tyson Chandler
On a roster synonymous with small ball, as well as a youthful and explosive backcourt, it's a 33-year-old center who could shape Phoenix's immediate direction more than anyone.
"Chandler, a 7' 1", 240 lb, [33-year-old] veteran, is not only one of the best all-around centers in the league, he is also lauded for his leadership, work ethic, and understanding of the game," wrote Bright Side of the Sun's Sean Sullivan. "And now, Phoenix is counting on him to bring his veteran leadership to help stabilize the locker room, and his mentoring to their young big-man prodigy."
Mentoring the 22-year-old Alex Len—and, frankly, the rest of Phoenix's core—is only part of Chandler's job description. More than a guiding emotional force, he is the team's lone defensive anchor.
The Suns have enough offensive firepower. They ranked just 13th in points scorer per 100 possessions last season, but that was essentially their floor. They finished 17th in defensive efficiency and were 20th in field-goal percentage allowed inside the restricted area.
Opponents shot at below-average clips when going up against Chandler within six feet, and even 10 feet, of the basket last season. If the Suns are to finish in the top half of defensive efficiency this time around, it starts with Chandler's interior protection. And if he's up to the task, he could be the difference between a playoff push and a sixth straight lottery appearance.
Making the Leap: T.J. Warren
T.J. Warren absolutely lit up the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 18.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks, a seven-game effort good enough to earn him All-NBA Summer League First Team honors.
But the Suns still aren't quite sure what they have in Warren—nor do they know if the sophomore's game can fully translate to the NBA. In a pace-and-space league, Warren is not a three-point shooter. He shot just 23.8 percent from deep as a rookie, and the Summer Suns ran an offense that actively deterred him from launching outside shots.
Still, Phoenix has an opening at small forward, even with the more established P.J. Tucker in the fold. Warren is already an adequate defender, and he's able to work off the ball as a pick-and-roll diver or backdoor slasher.
If he can develop into an average spot-up shooter, he'll be able to provide the Suns with quality minutes as a starter or reserve player, paving the way for a breakout campaign—one that would noticeably expedite Phoenix's quasi-rebuilding process.
Best-Case Scenario
An ideal season for the Suns will live up to Bledsoe's expectations.
"We're definitely trying to make a run at a playoff spot," Bledsoe told ABC 15 Arizona. "We're not trying to get the last spot, either. We're trying to get a high spot."
The Suns have the pieces to sneak into the top 10 of offensive efficiency, and if Chandler remains healthy, a top-15 finish on the defensive end isn't out of the question. And, even in the West, that modestly balanced showing should be good enough to contend for something more than an eighth-seeded postseason slot.
Worst-Case Scenario
Improvement is not guaranteed in the NBA, and the Suns, even after spending all that money on Chandler and Knight over the offseason, could actually fall further down the Western Conference standings.
Bledsoe and Knight have appeared in just 11 games together thus far, and the Suns were both a net-minus and offensive disaster with them on the floor. Chandler is on the wrong end of his prime and prone to injury. The defense could easily rank among the NBA's absolute worst. The Markieff Morris situation could eventually prove implosive. Much of Phoenix's livelihood is tethered to inexperienced contributors, such as Len and Warren.
A lot could go wrong. And if it does, the Suns, as currently constructed, could end up being one of the West's five worst teams.
Predictions
Growing pains are going to hit the Suns. It's inevitable.
No, they're not especially young. But they are new to each other. If you factor in Knight's limited run with the team, the Suns will basically be looking at three new starters should Warren usurp Tucker on the depth chart.
Above all else, though, the Western Conference is a bloodbath. Bledsoe might see the Suns as a high-seed threat, but the top six spots, in no particular order, will almost assuredly go to the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers.
Unless there's a severe shakeup within the upper echelon, the Suns will be left to fend for one of the bottom-two seeds with the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz. And in the ultra-brutal West, fringe playoff contention can easily turn into a lost season.
On paper, the Suns don't look like they'll fall that far. But if the goal is a playoff berth, there's a strong chance they fall well short of expectations.
- Final Record: 41-41
- Division Standing: Third in Pacific
- Playoff Berth: No
Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com unless otherwise cited. Salary information via Basketball Insiders.
Dan Favale covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @danfavale.
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