Evaluating Who Will be Suns' Fifth Starter
The new-look Phoenix Suns have a decision to make going into training camp - who will be the fifth member of the starting lineup? Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, and Deandre Ayton are already penned as starters.
There are two clear candidates to join the group and one that could fly under-the-radar.
Eric Gordon
Eric Gordon is a leading candidate to be the last starter, however it may be smarter to make him the sixth man and utilize him in the closing lineups in return. Gordon is a generally good floor-spacer and could be a passable defender, but Vogel may opt to go for a more defensively inclined player with three offensive superstars already in queue.
Josh Okogie
Okogie started much of the remainder of the year following the all-star break, and did an admirable job during that span, even improving as a spot-up shooter. He struggled mightily during the playoffs though, and the offensive limitations will likely always be there.
It still may be the smart play to name him as the team's fifth starter due to his strong point-of-attack defense. Vogel and company might have to bank on the fact that Okogie can knock down open corner shots at a good rate this upcoming season.
Keita Bates-Diop
The sleeper pick for the last starting spot is Diop, a versatile forward that knocked down threes at a nearly 39% rate last season. The former Spurs player is also an athletic wing defender that can offer strong help and potentially point-of-attack play at times.
Diop never had the opportunity to step up in big moments in San Antonio, but has an intriguing skillset and a decent enough track record to be considered intriguing in a starting capacity.
The Verdict: Josh Okogie
Okogie appears to make the most sense at the moment, but coach Vogel can mix-and-match if the fifth starter isn't meshing well with the others.
