PHOENIX SUNS

Phoenix Suns dig deep for shooting with Anthony Tolliver

Jul 22, 2014, 12:41 AM | Updated: 12:41 am

The Phoenix Suns lost one integral member of their roster from last season when Channing Frye signed a four-year deal with the Orlando Magic.

To help fill the void created by Frye’s absence, the team signed Anthony Tolliver, a six-year veteran who has played for six different NBA teams.

Once Frye agreed to terms with Orlando, Tolliver targeted Phoenix as a potential landing spot.

“I texted my agent immediately,” Tolliver said during an introductory press conference Monday. “I follow everything because I know how any little transaction can effect me personally in free agency. I know we had talked with the Suns last year and the year before I believe about the possibility of coming here.

“It wasn’t quite as attractive with Channing here because I knew he did what I did as well, pick-and-pop type of guy. It was still even intriguing then, but when he left I was like ‘now it’s really intriguing having that vacancy.'”

Tolliver actually shot a higher percentage than Frye from three-point range last year, knocking down 41 percent compared to Frye’s 37 percent. It does need to be noted that Frye took about 200 more shots from behind the arc. Both players took a high volume of their attempts from the right wing as you can see from these two shot charts done by nyloncalculus.com

Tolliver’s 2013-2014 Shot Chart:

Frye’s 2013-2014 Shot Chart:

The big question is if Tolliver can shoot with the same type of consistency Frye has over the years. The 6-foot-8 forward has eclipsed the 40 percent mark from three-point range twice in his career, but hit just 24 percent in 2011-12 and 34 percent in 2012-13.

Tolliver is confident in his ability to shoot from deep because he’s been working on this aspect of his game for a long time.

“It’s something going back to high school and college I knew I wasn’t going to be a seven-foot type of player,” said Tolliver on the importance of developing a long-range jumper. “I also knew that the way the NBA was going, no matter how tall I was, it would be a valuable thing to have to be able to shoot.

“In college, they stuck me down on the block because I was the biggest guy on our team. In the offseasons, that wasn’t what I worked on; I worked on shooting and being able to stretch the floor. My master plan to make it to the NBA was based on me being able to shoot.”

According to basketball-reference.com, Tolliver spent 74 percent of his minutes at the small forward position with the Charlotte Bobcats last season. Don’t expect to see that replicated this upcoming year. With a glut of potential small forwards in P.J. Tucker, Marcus Morris, Gerald Green and T.J. Warren, Tolliver will go back playing mainly the four as he did with the Golden State Warriors in 2009-10 and in his first year with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2010-11.

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

Phoenix Suns dig deep for shooting with Anthony Tolliver