Suns tinker with rotation, leave Warrick and Brown on the bench

The Phoenix Suns have won their last three games, and
while things seem to be going well for the team, the same
can’t be said for Hakim Warrick and Shannon Brown.

Regulars in the rotation early in the season, neither has
played the last two games, and have now found themselves
out of the rotation.

“It’s really, really tough to play 12 guys — it’s really
tough to play 10 guys,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry told
Arizona Sports 620’s Burns and Gambo. “I just think we
have a pretty good feel as to what guys can do and can’t
do and what’s going on right now.

“This is the way we’re going to play for a while.”

Neither Brown nor Warrick have been really effective for
the Suns, with the former shooting 39 percent from the
floor and the latter struggling on defense.

However, Gentry noted that things could always change,
especially with injuries and other factors, so it does not
mean fans have seen the last of these players.

“Everybody wants to play, that’s the reason they’re in
this league,” Gentry said of what it’s like to be out of
the rotation. “The thing that I tell them is you have to
keep yourself prepared.”

Gentry pointed to Josh Childress, who sat out 12 of the
team’s first 17 games but has played in the last eight.

“He sat over there and he was kind of a victim of being
deep at his position and he didn’t get to play,” Gentry
said, “but I think what he is is a true professional. He
continued to work and have himself prepared, and when the
opportunity came I think he took advantage of it.”

So while they are not in the rotation right now, chances
are good both Warrick and Brown will get another
opportunity sooner or later, so it will be up to them to
be ready.

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