EMPIRE OF THE SUNS

Jon Leuer and Mirza Teletovic give Jeff Hornacek flexibility with his big men

Dec 4, 2015, 8:55 AM

Phoenix Suns' Jon Leuer, right, shoots over Toronto Raptors' Patrick Patterson during the second ha...

Phoenix Suns' Jon Leuer, right, shoots over Toronto Raptors' Patrick Patterson during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015. (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

(Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press via AP)

Markeiff Morris’ poor play to start the season has sparked much debate among Phoenix Suns fans.

His spot in the starting lineup, as our own Bryan Gibberman said, should stay that way and it would be a “panic, short-sighted move,” to remove Morris.

There’s no doubt about the abysmal start to the season Morris has had and the stats show that.

The problem for Morris and the Suns is the great level of play they have received from Jon Leuer and Mirza Teletovic.

Both Leuer and Teletovic were oversights in the summer. With a gaping hole at power forward off the bench, the Suns signed Teletovic to a one-year deal very late in the free agency process and Leuer was acquired for a second-round pick.

To start the season, both power forwards have been bargains. Teletovic is shooting 46 percent from 3-point range and Leuer is at 47 percent. They both have a positive net rating, meaning that their team’s offensive rating is higher than their defensive rating when they are on the court.

Leuer’s impressed with his physicality that one can assume he acquired playing in Memphis and practicing against the likes of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. His 16.1 percent rebounding percentage — the percentage of rebounds he grabs while he is on the court — is almost five percent higher than Morris’.

The main effect Leuer and Teletovic have on the floor is spacing. The offensive ratings for the two are 105.1 and 109.7, respectively, which both easily beat the team’s offensive rating of 102.5.

With a point guard like Eric Bledsoe who is such a threat to attack the basket, Leuer and Teletovic offer defenses difficult choices. If they decide to be aggressive and stop Bledsoe from getting to the rim, this happens:

The defender, Reggie Jackson, is either going to have to foul Bledsoe or Bledsoe is going to score. Ersan Ilyasova realizes this, goes to stop Bledsoe and then ducks his head as he realizes who he left open.

So what if you can somehow stop Bledsoe from scoring at the rim and getting a good look for Leuer? This happens:

Despite the numbers, Teletovic is the much better shooter and a wide open 3-point shot for him is a gift.

This is the threat of playing Leuer at center, as he opens up Teletovic at power forward and playing a deadly shooter like Devin Booker or Brandon Knight at the other guard position makes it even more lethal.

The lineups featuring both Teletovic and Leuer have done very well to start the season offensively. The lineup combinations featuring both that have played at least ten minutes this season have offensive ratings of 105.7, 130, 137.4, and 119.

This efficiency doesn’t always have to include those two, either. The effect they have on the spacing is clear and head coach Jeff Hornacek used some sets in Detroit to make the defense do the impossible.

Teletovic and Leuer are in the corners and Booker is on the wing. Those are three elite shooters that you cannot leave open and the intent of this play is most likely to get one of them an open shot. Both Booker and Leuer’s defenders do not move an inch. Marcus Morris does the best as he can on the top of the screen and Andre Drummond has to choose between a Bledsoe layup or a wide open P.J. Tucker three. Bledsoe takes an extra step to give Tucker the most space possible and hits him for the three.

Leuer’s rebounding rate and physical play make him an option at center and his ability to take opponents off the dribble like this opens up even more possibilities.

That will be a bucket against any center in the league and that’s another aspect that makes Leuer unique.

Whether they are starting or not, as Gibberman noted, they should come in stretches and stay around the 16-20 MPG mark both are currently at.

It has to be said that the aforementioned lineups with the two together also have poor defensive ratings of 125.3, 123.2, 145.8 and 116.6.

Those numbers are more bad than the offensive numbers are good and are why the duo is such a risk. The lineup combination that includes the duo that has played the most minutes (24) also has the lowest rebounding percentage of any other lineup that has played at least ten minutes at 39 percent.

The bottom line with Leuer and Teletovic is that they both provide great play on offense and, as the Pistons game showed, it has the ability to take over a game on that end. However, they both pose serious issues in other areas of the basketball court that would not be sustainable over 25-30 minutes of play as the Pistons’ comeback showed.

Still, the two provide the Suns with some much-needed firepower off the bench and most importantly, perimeter shooting. That will continue to aid the team despite its other flaws. That’s something the Suns should be very thankful for after the minuscule price they paid for both and is even more of a luxury if Morris’ struggles continue.

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Empire of the Suns

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns during th...

Kellan Olson

Suns respond to season’s low point with thorough win over Nuggets

The guessing game of which Suns team shows up on which night persists. The best current version did on Wednesday in a win over the Nuggets.

1 day ago

Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns argues a call with official Pat Fraser n the first half as Jere...

Kellan Olson

Suns stumble through latest inexcusable effort, lose to shorthanded Spurs

The Phoenix Suns followed up Saturday's win over the San Antonio Spurs with Monday's offering being more of what we've come to expect.

3 days ago

Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns drives in front of Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs i...

Kellan Olson

Phoenix Suns find better energy for clinical win over Spurs

The Phoenix Suns were overdue for a win like Saturday's 131-106 final over the San Antonio Spurs, taking care of business early.

5 days ago

Jusuf Nurkic #20 of the Phoenix Suns passes over Kyle Lowry #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the...

Kellan Olson

Suns work through typical turnover problems to defeat 76ers

The Phoenix Suns dealt with some of their usual issues while managing a comfortable win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

8 days ago

Isaiah Thomas #4 of the Charlotte Hornets looks on prior to the game against the Miami Heat at FTX ...

Kellan Olson

Isaiah Thomas returns to NBA, Suns after injuries derailed his career in its prime

Isaiah Thomas' NBA journey is a unique one. Here's how he thinks he can help the 2023-24 Phoenix Suns in a return to the league.

8 days ago

Phoenix Suns head coach Frank Vogel looks on during the second quarter against the Boston Celtics  ...

Kellan Olson

Suns in serious jeopardy of play-in tournament fate entering last month of season

You wouldn't have guessed it by watching them over the last two games but the Phoenix Suns are in a precarious position.

9 days ago

Jon Leuer and Mirza Teletovic give Jeff Hornacek flexibility with his big men