Lack of love for Phoenix Suns in NBA GM survey
Oct 20, 2015, 1:29 PM
Phoenix Suns center Tyson Chandler walks off the court after being ejected for arguing with referees while facing the Denver Nuggets in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Oct. 16, 2015, in Denver. The Nuggets won 106-81. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Phoenix Suns are entering the 2015-16 season very much under the radar.
Sure, they’ll have a different look than last season — in part because of a new jersey option but mostly because of a good amount of roster turnover — but even still, they are not exactly having high expectations heaped upon them.
The recently-released NBA GM survey can attest to that.
Each of the league’s 30 general managers were asked 49 different questions about the best teams, players, coaches, fans and offseason moves. They were not allowed to vote for their own teams or players, and none gave the Suns too much love.
Both center Tyson Chandler and guard Brandon Knight were in the “also receiving votes” category for most underrated player acquisition.
Chandler, who signed a four-year, $52 million deal with Phoenix, averaged 10.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game with the Dallas Mavericks last season. The 33-year-old is expected to provide the Suns with great defense, rebounding and leadership.
Knight was originally acquired by the Suns at last season’s trade deadline. An ankle injury limited him to just 11 games with Phoenix — nine starts — where he averaged 13.4 points, 4.5 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game. On the season, which included 52 games with the Milwaukee Bucks, the 23-year-old averaged 17 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game, which is part of the reason why the Suns re-signed him to a five-year, $70 million contract during the offseason.
Chandler’s name came up one more time in the survey, as he garnered 6.9 percent of the votes for “most surprising move of the offseason.”
The only other Sun to show up in any category was rookie Devin Booker, who received votes for “Which rookie was the biggest steal at where he was selected in the Draft?”
The former Kentucky Wildcat was taken 13th overall, and though at 18 he was the youngest player in the draft, he has done nothing but impress early in his career.
During the Las Vegas Summer League, he averaged 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range, and so far in preseason play he has poured in 11.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while shooting 46.2 percent from long distance.
