Suns Have This Hole to Fill
When it comes to the Phoenix Suns, there's plenty to like about the overall construction of this team.
Stars such as Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant litter the starting lineup with hope of not only establishing one of the best trios in the league, but also potentially making a push for an NBA Finals title that narrowly eluded Phoenix back in 2021.
With Deandre Ayton out of the mix, Jusuf Nurkic arrives in hopes of a "better fit" for the overall team - at least those were the words of Phoenix decision makers at Media Day.
The Suns were praised for a handful of their depth pieces assembled in free agency/trades given their financial restrictions, and now we're less than two weeks removed from the beginning of the regular season.
There's fairly high expectations in the Valley, though some believe the Suns still have a few holes to fill:
B/R Says Suns Need SF or PG Help in Starting Lineup
Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley glossed over the team's big three before highlighting Phoenix as one team with a big spot to fill:
"Jusuf Nurkić should be a rock-solid option at center, so long as he stays healthy. He has his limitations—he isn't much of an athlete and only recently began dabbling in outside shooting—but he also has the smarts and skills to work around them. His passing could be invaluable for a roster lacking an obvious primary playmaker.
"Speaking of which...who's filling that fifth starting spot? Josh Okogie has "the inside track," per Yahoo's Jake Fischer, meaning we'll all wonder once again if Okogie can hit enough shots to stay on the floor. He is a tenacious defender, sure, but you can draw a direct line between his career playing time (20.1 minutes) and shooting slash (40/29.1/74.9).
"That he's winning the race, though, shows there are no great options available. Most players in the mix are specialists or low-impact role players, reflecting the top-heavy nature of this team. So, even if someone else snags the gig, this could be a talking point all season.
"Phoenix could slot a forward in between Booker and Durant, or it might wind up searching for a lead guard who can connect all the dots. Either way, this is the one spot coach Frank Vogel needs to nail, because—health permitting—everything else looks on point."
Some would argue with all of Phoenix's offensive prowess, a defensive stopper such as Okogie might fit best alongside them.
When it comes to point guard concerns, it's not like all three star players don't have experience running an offense - Booker himself ran the point often towards the end of regular season action last season.
Vogel will have 82 regular season games (plus the in-season tournament) to figure out who fits best before the postseason.
