Suns expect to play with a hot hand approach

PHOENIX — Between now and the season opener, the Phoenix Suns would like to determine which players are regular rotation members. Aside from the expectation they will heavily ride point guards Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, it’s sounding more and more like roles will not be predetermined, at least not in terms of minutes played.

Head coach Jeff Hornacek would like to play the hot hand. Or the healthy hand. Or the best matchup for a given game.

So far, his players have accepted it.

“They’ve said as a group that they’re going to support each other and if one guy has it going that night, you play less minutes, fine,” Hornacek said. “The ultimate goal is to get in the playoffs.”

At center, the conversation is perhaps most influential.

The mileage on Tyson Chandler, who is entering his 15th NBA season, could cause the Suns to be conservative with his playing time. They will take Chandler’s condition into account on a game-by-game basis and not predetermine holding him out, say, on back-to-backs, according to Hornacek.

That said, they feel they can afford to rest their big man.

“The beautiful thing on this team is I have a great young big behind me,” Chandler said of backup Alex Len. “It’s also about balancing, making sure he gets his reps and continues to grow. I’m OK with whatever. I’m OK to push the limits. Whatever, whatever (Hornacek) wants.”

The 33-year-old Chandler averaged more than 30 minutes per game in the last four seasons. He was held out of two of the Suns’ six preseason games, including the finale in the former Mav’s return to Dallas, but said he’s healthy and ready to go. Following formal practice, he put himself through a resistance workout with Len and trainer Mike Elliot.

Should Chandler be held out on occasion or simply be limited in minutes played, Jon Leuer, who has played both backup power forward and center this preseason, can be paired with fellow power forward Mirza Teletovic to make up the depth. That will make the fight for the backup power forward spot behind Markieff Morris less of a necessary conversation. And by the way, Morris can also slide to center in a pinch.

The small forward rotation is another example of uncertainty but acceptance when it comes to roles.

P.J. Tucker’s defense and T.J. Warren’s offense will both be utilized. Hornacek said that Tucker, set to replace Warren in the lineup, pulled himself from the scorer’s table on Tuesday against the Spurs after Warren stole the ball from Kawhi Leonard and scored on the other end.

That was a fine example of Phoenix’s ability to use many of the players in their rotation. It was also a positive example of the buy-in.

Hunkering down for the regular season

The Suns didn’t play a game the final two nights of the NBA preseason and sit out the first day of the regular season, making for a week-long break that should be beneficial.

Point guard Ronnie Price, who had been out since Oct. 13 with an illness, returned to participate with a full 15-man rehearsal Friday. The Suns have until next Wednesday’s season-opener to put in their offense and shape up a defense that looked inconsistent in the six preseason games that saw Phoenix finish 4-2.

“We went into it trying to pick up our defense,” head coach Jeff Hornacek said. “At times, we did do that. At times, we had better help defense in the preseason.”

A five-day stretch should allow them time to make the final tweaks.

Chandler favors how the schedule panned out. Developing a rapport with his new Suns teammates continues to be an emphasis heading into the year, and that was the case in practice Friday.

“We need that work, we need that timing, we need to go over plays,” Chandler said. “We did a lot in practice of timing … making sure we’re in the right spot. I think (the long break) is designed perfectly for this team.”

But developing a chemistry with his teammates, including power forward Markieff Morris, continues to be a work in progress.

“We should have a great combination, one-two punch, as far as me diving and rolling, him able to fill that top spot, knock down open jump shots, also take his guy off the drive,” Chandler said. “Once we get rolling I think it’s about the three of us, whoever the guard coming off (a screen), me diving, him replacing, making sure shooters are in the right spots.”

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