Phoenix Suns Don't Need Jimmer Fredette's Name or Game

For casual observers of Jimmer Fredette and/or the Phoenix Suns, a marriage between the two seems foreordained.

Fredette loves to score. Phoenix loves to score. Jimmer can ignite a crowd. The Suns would love to get back to that.

Phoenix's desperation for a go-to guy, someone who can get them a bucket at any given point, makes the pairing seem even more ideal. After all, Fredette was Option 1, B and 3 for BYU.

But as a life-long Suns fan and a Provo, UT resident during Jimmer's hey-day, let me make this perfectly clear:

Phoenix and Jimmer are simply not a good combination.

This is no knock on Jimmer's game. I've seen enough of him up close to know what he can (and can't) do. He can absolutely succeed in the NBA (to what level is up for debate).

But the Suns shouldn't fooled into thinking they can succeed with Jimmer. More than anything, Phoenix needs a can't-miss guy, and no one, not even Jimmered fans, can claim Fredette is a can't-miss star at the NBA level.

Suns fans who want Fredette to be Nash's new heir apparent are indirectly saying Aaron Brooks doesn't fit the bill.

Put another way, they think Fredette can be better as a starting point guard than Aaron Brooks (2008-09 most improved player, led the league in 3-pointers made, boasts both range and superior athleticism).

Fredette better than Brooks? Please.

The Suns reportedly want and plan to get better defensively. It's no secret Fredette won't help them in this area, at least not right away.

(Note: I'm not ready to label him as a guy who can't defend. The Cougars specifically asked him not to expand too much energy on defense so he would still have something in the tank offensively after logging heavy minutes.)

But aside from defensive improvements, the Suns need a sure thing. Unless they trade into the top two picks of the draft, they won't get that with a draft pick.

If Suns management is sincere about wanting to legitimately get better (up for debate), they need to look into investing in some real options instead of crossing their fingers over late lottery picks (the kind that graced Phoenix with Robin Lopez and Earl Clark. Whee.).

Phoenix needs to put themselves on the phones and inquire after guys who can help in a big way now. They need to test the market for Steve Nash around draft day, or sell high on Channing Frye. His stock will never be better after his career year.

Monta Ellis is a possibility (does Golden State better their 36-46 record with an Ellis/Curry backcourt and David Lee? Doubt it.). So is Eric Gordon and Kevin Love (you're saying you don't at least try to tempt Donald Sterling and David Kahn? Please.).

Those guys address real needs. Ellis and Gordon are perimeter scoring studs, as well as defensive stalwarts. Love spreads the floor like Channing Frye and rebounds like Moses Malone.

The point is, those names don't give near as much cause to hesitate as Jimmer Fredette, who will end up a bust, so-so, or pretty decent. Phoenix is already overstocked in those areas.

It's time to fill their real need -- something Jimmer simply won't do.