Phoenix Suns weekly roundtable: Who is the Suns’ most important player?

Every Wednesday we will have various personalities involved with ArizonaSports.com and Arizona Sports 98.7 FM partake in a weekly roundtable. Involved in the first edition is Jon Bloom, Bryan Gibberman, Kevin Zimmerman and Kellan Olson.

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Who is the Phoenix Suns’ most important player?

Jon Bloom:  Eric Bledsoe.  As down as I was with the way he handled his free agent offseason a year ago, I’ve surprised even myself with as high as I am on the Suns starting point guard.  Not only is he unbelievably in improved physical shape, but it appears that his mind’s right, and that will have an even bigger impact for both him and the Suns.  I think he’s poised to live up to the high expectations he entered the league with, and maybe even the “baby LeBron” moniker some folks have wanted to give him over the last few years.  A key to this development will be the way he meshes with Brandon Knight in the back court as the jury is still out on that duo being as dynamic together as they are individually.

Bryan Gibberman: I’m going to go with guard Brandon Knight.  The Suns need a consistent secondary creator at guard along with three-point shooting to open up the court . If Knight plays to his potential he can be both of those. The other four players in the assumed starting lineup — Eric Bledsoe, P.J. Tucker, Markieff Morris and Tyson Chandler — provide a reasonable idea of what they’re going to bring to the table. There’s a little bit more of an unknown with Knight because of the change of scenery and his up and down play in the past.

Kevin Zimmerman: The easy answer might be Tyson Chandler, whose leadership and defense has probably already changed the trajectory of the young team. But the absence of Markieff Morris would be more impactful. It’d greatly limit the Suns’ offensive attack, putting too much scoring demand on their two point guards — there’s a reason Phoenix went to Morris often in the clutch last season. Plus, Morris’ backups aren’t exactly known for their defense.

Kellan Olson:  Markieff Morris. The best possible version of the Suns this season includes Morris on the team. It’s not only about Morris staying on the team either. He’s a good basketball player who could become very good if he adds new elements to his game such as increased energy and hustle, verticality on defense, and improved three-point shooting. The good news for Suns fans is that we’ve seen all three of those things so far this preseason.

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Is Archie Goodwin or Devin Booker more likely to be a consistent contributor?

JB: Devin Booker, based on his perimeter shooting alone, but his overall offensive game has been flying under the radar and will likely soon be exposed.  Both guys have good length on the wing but Archie has better defensive skills right now after his first two seasons in the league.  I love Archie’s fearlessness and his ability to get to the rim, but I’m sold on Booker’s “beyond his years” maturity on and off the court and believe he’ll make a bigger impact.  Both guys will have a tough time getting big minutes in my opinion as they are behind at least Bledsoe and Knight, and potentially veterans Sonny Weems and Ronnie Price in the guard rotation.

BG: It might take a little bit of time, but I think it ends up being Booker. His shooting and better than expected well-rounded offensive game, can help him contribute at the young age of 18 (soon to be 19). I don’t think there is much of a difference between the two defensively and Booker’s shot is the highest level skill between the two. Booker can play next to Bledsoe or Knight, while Goodwin fits better next to specifically Knight.

KZ:I’m going with Goodwin simply because of his edge in experience and his — and maybe the team’s — antsiness to see how he’s improved. Goodwin’s slashing ability may be good enough to make up for his lack of shooting and put him slightly ahead in this race, but he and Booker have a lot to prove on the defensive end to carve out significant roles. And Goodwin may have the edge on that end, as well.

KO:  It’s usually not wise to bet on the rookie in this situation, but give me Booker. Both are fairly one-dimensional players right now and Booker’s best skill is shooting the ball and that’s much more useful to the Suns than Goodwin’s ability to attack the basket. Booker is the best shooter on the roster and really understands where to be on the floor to further emphasize that skill. He’s much more in control than Goodwin and looks like he could have much more of an all-around impact as well.

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Should Mirza Teletovic or Jon Leuer be the Suns’ backup power forward? 

JB: So far through training camp and the preseason this one is a no-contest.  Leuer drew immediate rave reviews from teammates and staff during the pickup games before camp, and the praise continued up in the cool pines of Flagstaff.  Teletovic got here later, missed time in Flag due to illness, and then decided he’d jack up as many threes as he could as soon as he’s stepped on the floor in uniform.  I’m not concerned that Teletovic forgot how to shoot, his form is definitely more sound than Leuer’s from three-point range, but it’s been his shot selection that has been concerning in the preseason.  Leuer earned the nickname Johnny Badger at Wisconsin for his prowess as the star of a solid team, I think he can play a major role on this team even if his nightly line isn’t nearly as sexy as his 17-point, 13-rebound Boogie-posterizing performance last week against the Kings.

BG: I’m going to cheat here and say both are going to contribute. Teletovic is the guy I would give the first chance to most nights hoping he can get hot with his volume shooting threes. He has the ability to space the court creating driving lanes for everyone else. During those games when he’s not connecting you have the ability to let Leuer get some run. You want Teletovic to take the majority of the minutes, but there are situations where you will want to go away from him.

KZ: It’s Teletovic’s job to lose. Leuer has shown himself to be a capable defensive player, at least in rebounding terms, and with his passing abilities should give Jeff Hornacek something to think about — but that could be at center. The Suns need shooting and Teletovic’s ability to get hot in a hurry makes him the bigger offensive threat.

KO:  I’m still going with Teletovic despite the emergence of Leuer in the preseason. All of those practices against Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol for three seasons in Memphis seem to have made him a physical player down low and a real worker on the glass. His three-point shooting is on a very small sample size though (33-90 in his career) and that’s why Teletovic gets the nod. The Suns need shooters and Teletovic’s 36% three-point shooting in his three NBA seasons is a welcome addition in Phoenix.