ESPN Insider: Phoenix Suns offseason gets a ‘B’ grade
Jul 22, 2015, 11:01 AM | Updated: 11:14 am
The Phoenix Suns did not come away from this offseason with the superstar that they hoped for.
ESPN Insider Kevin Pelton, however, still thinks that the Suns’ offseason moves were a success.
Pelton analyzed each Western Conference team’s offseason, and gave Phoenix a “B” grade.
Phoenix Suns
Added: Devin Booker (draft), Tyson Chandler (FA), Brandon Knight (re-signed), Jon Leuer (trade), Ronnie Price (FA), Mirza Teletovic (FA), Sonny Weems (FA)
Lost: Gerald Green (FA), Marcus Morris (trade), Brandan Wright (FA)
Grade: B
Phoenix’s big addition was Tyson Chandler, signed for $52 million over four years. That’s a risk given Chandler’s age and up-and-down career, but he’ll be a major upgrade defensively, and if anyone can keep him on the court as he advances into his mid-30s, it’s Phoenix’s highly regarded athletic training staff. Chandler’s presence wasn’t enough to lure Aldridge, and the Suns might not have traded Marcus Morris if they knew Aldridge would go elsewhere. Still, the Suns were able to use Morris’ salary to sign Teletovic as a replacement and keep their cap clear for a run at Kevin Durant in the summer of 2016.
The Suns were in the hunt for All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency, but lost out when he instead chose to go to the San Antonio Spurs.
The team selected Booker No. 13 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. The former Kentucky swingman averaged 15.2 points per game in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nev., including a 31-point performance against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Chandler is a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year and NBA champion, who averaged 10.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game last season.
Knight was acquired at last season’s NBA trade deadline, but played only 11 games for the Suns after dealing with injuries. He averaged 17.0 points and 5.2 assists per game with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Suns before agreeing to a five-year, $70 million contract extension.
Leuer was acquired in a draft-day trade for the rights of former Kentucky guard Andrew Harrison. He averaged 4.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game with the Memphis Grizzlies last season.
The Suns brought back Price, who played with Phoenix from 2011-12, on a one-year deal. The former Los Angeles Lakers guard averaged 5.1 points and 3.8 assists per game last season.
Teletovic has spent each of his three seasons in the NBA with the Brooklyn Nets. The Yugoslavia native averaged 8.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last season.
Weems last played in the NBA in 2010-11 with the Toronto Raptors. The former CSKA Moskow (Russa) swingman averaged 11.5 points and 3.5 assists last season before agreeing to a two-year, $5.8 million deal with Phoenix.
Green agreed to a one-year, $1.4 million deal to rejoin former teammate Goran Dragic on the Miami Heat. Green averaged 11.9 points in 19.5 minutes per game for Phoenix last season.
Marcus Morris was shipped to Detroit as part of a salary dump that sent Morris, Reggie Bullock and Danny Granger to the Pistons for a 2020 second round pick. Morris averaged 10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game for Phoenix last season.
Wright was acquired last season in a trade with the Boston Celtics for a 2015 first round pick, and played 40 games in a Suns uniform while averaging 11.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Wright signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Memphis Grizzlies in free agency.
The Phoenix Suns went 38-44 last season, marking their fifth consecutive season without a playoff berth.
