Gambo: The Suns last roster spot
On paper it looks like the Phoenix Suns have their roster set for the upcoming season. But there is still one more move coming once the team waives Sasha Pavlovic, which will be before the season starts.
What the Suns do with that roster spot will depend on a few things.
If second-year point guard Goran Dragic, who injured his groin on Monday, struggles the Suns could look point guard and give summer-league invitee Zabian Dowdell an opportunity. The 6-3 point guard from Virginia Tech played for Casale (2nd division Italy) last season and was impressive in the Suns summer-league opener Monday. Dowdell is very intriguing as he is your prototypical point guard with good skills and a smart basketball IQ.
With Steve Nash being 36 and Dragic unproven, the Suns would like to have some security at the point and Dowdell would give them that. The experience he got last year in Europe has helped him become NBA ready now.
If they want to go small forward they will give serious consideration to 6-7 lefty Carlos Powell from South Carolina. Powell played in Korea last season.
And if they want to go big they can tap into free agency and grab Chris Wilcox but only if he would be willing to play for the veterans minimum. A solid rebounder and veteran, Wilcox could help this team but may not be willing to come to a team for the veterans minimum unless he has a big role. The Suns lack rebounding when you consider Amare Stoudemire has never been a good rebounder and newly acquired center Channing Frye is also not a board banger. Louis Amundson comes off the bench and would be the Suns best rebounder and Robin Lopez has worked hard this offseason to add 10 pounds to his frame and at 7-1 ¾ in sneakers he has the size and smarts to do a decent job on the boards. So Wilcox could help.
As for the Suns second-round pick Taylor Griffin of Oklahoma, it is more than likely he will not make the Suns roster out of camp and end up playing in Europe this season. The bet here is that Dowdell makes the team, but he must continue to impress in the Summer League.
