PHOENIX SUNS

ESPN’s Ford dolls out B-plus grade for Suns offseason

Sep 5, 2016, 9:52 AM

Phoenix Suns' Jared Dudley chases down the loose ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the second h...

Phoenix Suns' Jared Dudley chases down the loose ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half of an NBA basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

(AP Photo/Matt York)

Maybe the Phoenix Suns didn’t swing for the fences in free agency or draft ready-to-go rookies who could push the team toward a significant increase in wins for 2016-17.

That doesn’t mean the offseason was a failure.

Less is more in this case as the Suns aim to rebuild by giving young players opportunity, and ESPN’s Chad Ford gives Phoenix a B-plus grade for not trying to cheat the process.

The Suns drafted sub-20-year-old power forwards Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss and got younger at backup guard by taking Tyler Ulis in the second round. All three have a chance to fight for playing time right away, though the team is in good enough shape not to overwhelm them by logging too many minutes, writes Ford.

The Suns have quietly amassed a talented group of young prospects. It’s going to take them another year or two to figure out how to win basketball games, but the decision to go young should pay off in the long run and the addition of Bender and Chriss add to my bullishness on their future.

In free agency, Phoenix brought back cagey veterans Jared Dudley and Leandro Barbosa to steady the roster. The duo not only is familiar with the Valley but also can split time rather than eclipse the young players.

Dudley and Barbosa provide veteran leadership in the locker room, though if the Suns are smart, it will primarily come from their influence off the court, not on it.

In essence, judging this version of the Suns won’t be about the win-loss record. It’s about relative improvement from a disappointing 2015-16 season where the issues went beyond the youth and even the injuries to Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, among others.

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ESPN’s Ford dolls out B-plus grade for Suns offseason