PHOENIX SUNS

ESPN Insider gives Phoenix Suns positive offseason mark

Aug 1, 2013, 4:38 PM | Updated: 4:38 pm

It’s been a whirlwind offseason for the Phoenix Suns that began with a front office shift, included a coaching change and the beginnings of a roster overhaul.

For the first time in a long time, there is optimism about the direction of the franchise, thanks to what new general manager Ryan McDonough and new head coach Jeff Hornacek have done since being elevated to their positions.

And the optimism isn’t limited to the confines of the Phoenix metro area; national pundits are taking notice, too.

ESPN’s Chad Ford, in an Insider piece, rated the Suns’ offseason positively, giving the organization a ‘B’ grade, mostly for their acquisition of guard Eric Bledsoe from the Los Angeles Clippers and the drafting of center Alex Len and guard Archie Goodwin.

Landing Bledsoe for the price of Dudley and a second-round pick may have been the steal of the summer. Reasonable minds can disagree about Bledsoe’s future, but he’s a 23-year-old young point guard who excelled while playing significant minutes on a playoff team. For a rebuilding one like the Suns, that’s pure gold.

They also landed what they believe to be their center of the future in Len, who is huge, athletic and quite skilled for a player his age but is coming off surgery for a stress fracture in his ankle. I like Len, but the Suns should’ve taken Nerlens Noel ahead of him. Noel, to me, has more upside, and I worry a bit about Len’s toughness.

Goodwin, the second youngest player in the draft, struggled in his freshman season at Kentucky. But he’s blessed with great speed and athleticism, and if he ever develops a jump shot, he could be a lethal scorer. He looked quite impressive at summer league, and if the Suns are patient, they could have their backcourt of the future in Bledsoe and Goodwin.

While Ford is brimming with positives, he does end his write-up by admitting the Suns will struggle again in 2013-14 — maybe enough to be the worst team in the Western Conference for the second straight season.

But that would be fine with most around the organization, especially considering the 2014 NBA Draft is loaded with potential superstar players.

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Phoenix Suns

Jusuf Nurkic...

Damon Allred

Jusuf Nurkic questionable for Suns’ matchup with Thunder; Bradley Beal no longer listed

The Phoenix Suns are listing center Jusuf Nurkic questionable for a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

16 hours ago

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns during th...

Kellan Olson

Suns respond to season’s low point with thorough win over Nuggets

The guessing game of which Suns team shows up on which night persists. The best current version did on Wednesday in a win over the Nuggets.

1 day ago

Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the second half against the Boston Celtics at T...

David Veenstra

Bradley Beal in, Jusuf Nurkic out for Suns’ matchup with Nuggets

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal is active for Wednesday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets while center Jusuf Nurkic is out.

2 days ago

Tyler Kolek, Marquette...

Damon Allred

Here’s who Phoenix Suns fans should watch in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

The Suns' first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft sits at No. 19 overall, and they could select a star from the NCAA Tournament.

2 days ago

Phoenix Suns take on San Antonio Spurs...

Arizona Sports

O’Neale: Phoenix Suns took Spurs ‘too lightly’ in glaring loss

The Phoenix Suns' lack of effort was on display Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs, leading to an honest film session.

2 days ago

...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: Royce O’Neale: Suns took Spurs “a little too lightly”

Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale joined Burns & Gambo to talk about the team's disappointing loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, and to look ahead at the team's remaining schedule, as they continue to make a push toward the NBA playoffs.

3 days ago

ESPN Insider gives Phoenix Suns positive offseason mark