Suns’ Sebastian Telfair welcomes point guard battle

LA JOLLA, Calif. — Phoenix Suns Head Coach Alvin Gentry said he “would be shocked” if Goran Dragic is not the team’s starting point guard when the regular season opens October 31.

The Suns did, after all, sign Dragic to a 4-year, $30 million free agent contract this summer.

However, Dragic has not yet stepped foot on the court at UC San Diego through the first three days of training camp, missing all five practices.

In his absence, Sebastian Telfair has assumed the role of first team point guard.

“If the position is open, absolutely,” he said of trying to supplant Dragic. “That’s going to be my work ethic. My work ethic is going to be for me to be the starting point guard.”

A more realistic goal for Telfair is that of the backup, a spot he performed quite well in during the final months of last season.

Complicating matters further is Kendall Marshall, whom the Suns selected with the 13th overall pick this past June.

Telfair though has no problem fighting for a job.

“Upset me? No,” Telfair said when asked about the addition of Dragic. “When we got Dragic I was actually happy. He’s one of the guys that I hate playing against. He’s one of those guys that’s feisty like myself. I would love to go to war with him.

“That’s one of the best things about the NBA: competing,” he added. “My competitive nature always comes out in training camp when you’re going out there trying to earn your spot all over. I love it.”

Gentry knows Telfair won’t concede anything.

“I love the kid; he’s a competitor,” Gentry said. “If they beat him out, they beat him out; but they’ll have to beat him out. He’ll give everything that he’s got. That’s why I love having him on the team.

“(Telfair) is going to compete,” Gentry continued. “He’s going to do everything he can to make sure that he’s playing. Those are the kind of guys that push guys and they usually make the other guys better.”

Telfair said he is more comfortable as he begins his second year with the Suns.

The eight-year veteran closed last season averaging 12.4 points and 3.9 assists in the final 11 games while shooting 55.3% from the field and scoring in double figures eight times, including two 20-point games.

“I thought he started making really good decisions on the break and in our halfcourt offense,” Gentry said. “And then I thought he got a lot of confidence in his shot.”

Telfair, above all else, wants to win.

“It’s all up to me. It’s not up to anybody else,” he said. “If I’m doing what’s right for us to win games then I should be out there.”

Follow @theAdamGreen