Against Nuggets, Sonny Weems acts as Suns playmaker

The Suns probably want to flush their 106-81 loss to the Nuggets on Friday night and reset.

Coach Jeff Hornacek likely won’t dwell on it for anything more than game film, and he’ll surely look back on the team’s fourth preseason game to continue discovering lineup options for the regular season.

In the Mile High City, he experimented with a few new looks.

With point guards Eric Bledsoe and Ronnie Price out because of illness, Phoenix’s point guard depth became especially nonexistent when starter Brandon Knight fouled out in the third quarter. The Suns used shooting guard Sonny Weems as the backup point guard — even with Archie Goodwin, who has played both guard spots, sharing the backcourt.

The results with Weems playing point guard were at least interesting. He went 1-for-5 and scored five points, but most notably he led Phoenix with eight assists without a turnover in 28 minutes.

Weems’ success handling the point guard duties added a new wrinkle to the possibilities for the third point guard position that will be needed despite Phoenix’s expectation that Bledsoe and Knight will take most of the minutes.

While Price may be a defensive presence with his ability to hound backup point guards, Weems’ size, speed and more accurate jumper could make him another viable option.

That Weems has continued to prove his European stint developed his play-making abilities only helps as he battles for a rotation spot. Weems may be able to play either guard spot (and theoretically could slide to small forward in a pinch).

In the shooting guard battle, Devin Booker again showed promise with 11 first-half points and 13 total in the loss. The other player who could challenge Weems and Booker, Goodwin, had a quiet five-point outing in 24 minutes Friday.

No matter where Weems ends up playing, Friday’s performance showed he can help Phoenix’s ball movement. And that he won’t be a liability.

If they need shooting…

All in all, it wouldn’t be surprising for the Suns to take more time this preseason to look at floor-spacing lineups.

Despite having centers Tyson Chandler and Alex Len available in the second quarter Friday, Hornacek looked for a spark by rolling out what was, at least, the best shooting lineup available with the limited roster: Markieff Morris, Mirza Teletovic, P.J. Tucker, Booker and Weems.

The results went as well as the rest of the game. In the first half’s final 3:22, that lineup was outscored 10-5.

Also on Friday, Phoenix continued to give Jon Leuer playing time as a center. That was especially necessary when Chandler picked up two technical fouls and was ejected in the third quarter.

Leuer, widely believed to be competing for the backup power forward spot with Teletovic, saw time with both Len and Teletovic.

For the second game in a row, Leuer gave the Suns quality passing in the middle. He finished with eight points, two assists and two blocks. He was also challenged with switching on high ball screens to defend guards. Hornacek has mentioned in camp that the Suns expect their power forwards and centers to switch with guards rather than hedge when defending in late-clock situations this coming season.

Len returns from sprained ankle

Center Alex Len missed the Suns’ overtime loss to the Houston Rockets on Tuesday with a sprained ankle but returned with a strong performance Friday. The backup center scored 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds.

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