ESPN Insider: Suns’ Tyson Chandler the 3rd-best newcomer in NBA
Aug 21, 2015, 12:51 PM
The Phoenix Suns made a valiant whiff in their failure to sign forward LaMarcus Aldridge as a free agent this summer.
They did sign Tyson Chandler in the process of courting Aldridge to the Valley of the Sun, and according to ESPN Insider’s Kevin Pelton, that deal might be considered below the radar.
Pelton, aided by a combination of ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus and wins above replacement player statistics, ranked the Suns’ new center as the third-best newcomer in the NBA.
Here is why Pelton likes Chandler’s potential impact in Phoenix.
Chandler’s age — he’ll turn 33 in October — limits his long-term value compared to other players who changed teams. But barring a recurrence of the health problems that plagued him with the New York Knicks, Chandler should still be a top newcomer next season. After all, he posted the best PER of his career (20.1) in 2014-15 with the Dallas Mavericks.
Chandler predictably ranked behind Aldridge in Pelton’s list of best newcomers. But Aldridge, who joined the San Antonio Spurs instead of the Suns, surprisingly ranked second.
First on the list was former Detroit Piston and new Milwaukee Bucks big man Greg Monroe.
