Where Suns Roster Stands After Trade Deadline, Buyout Deals
In what will go down as the most notable trade deadline in Phoenix Suns franchise history thus far, the Suns have exchanged many pieces in order to make a title run.
The month of February has been a whirlwind of change for the Suns franchise. Phoenix basketball has a brand new owner at the helm calling shots. Mat Ishbia was introduced on the morning of Feb. 9 and 12 hours later, made a move to acquire superstar Kevin Durant and rocked the landscape of NBA basketball.
Matt Ishbia shocked the NBA world when the Suns gave up a considerable amount to acquire the 13x All-Star.
But with that massive trade came a massive shift in the roster for the Suns. Players such as Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder are no longer on the team and holes have been exposed. But when there was an opportunity to acquire a generational scorer to help win a title, Ishbia took the risk.
The Suns current roster after the NBA trade deadline and buyout signing period obviously has strengths. The Suns have boiled to the top of the oddsmaker's favorites among title contenders.
Suddenly, the pressure to win a title has spawned in Phoenix again.
Questions still remain with the Suns roster, particularly the health and the chemistry with new faces. With that being said, let's dive into the Suns frontcourt and backcourt situations as the All-Star Break nears.
The Suns' frontcourt got a massive upgrade as the 6'10" power forward Kevin Durant will now play home games in the Footprint Center. This is an impact player for the Suns not only from a scoring standpoint, but also from a size and length standpoint. Durant's 7'5" wingspan will pair nicely with Deandre Ayton's presence down low to make opposing teams work harder to throw in post entry passes. Durant's athleticism on the defensive side also allows him to switch onto guards effectively.
Three pieces were lost from the backcourt during this trade season. Bridges, Johnson and Crowder were all forward players that anchored the offensive and defensive unit the Suns. With their absence, the play of Torrey Craig will be important for the Suns success.
F Torrey Craig will have expanded minutes after three forwards on the roster were traded away before the deadline.
Craig's role has expanded in the past couple of weeks due to injury. He is now expected to play close to 30 minutes in every game. Craig is currently averaging 7.9 PPG and 5.7 APG, meaning an expanded role will lead to higher numbers in both categories. Craig eclipsed the double digit mark twice in his last 10 games.
Until Durant returns, Craig will be playing important minutes for the Suns and will need to step up in order to fill the voids from Bridges, Johnson and Crowder.
F Dario Šarić was also dealt at the deadline for F Darius Bazley. Bazley is a young player with potential that will be expected to play bench minutes immediately.
The Phoenix frontcourt has made a strong comeback after injury. Both G Devin Booker and G Chris Paul have had a nice resurgence coming back into the lineup. This has allowed for some role players to have a more traditional responsibility coming off the bench, resulting in better efficiency.
The depth at guard position comes as a concern for the Suns who have already seen the kind of production on the floor when Booker and/or Paul is out of the rotation. Cameron Payne is sidelined through the All-Star break with a foot injury and Damion Lee has been inconsistent as of late.
G Chris Paul and G Devin Booker will be expected to carry the guard play for Phoenix, both coming off injury.
A weak point in the roster has been depth at the guard position. While Durant can certainly score the ball, a pick and role player that can facilitate to bench players will be missed. F T.J. Warren could be an answer for the Suns. Warren was a flame thrower during the NBA bubble.
G/F Terrence Ross was also added to the Suns roster as a veteran leader. Ross has logged 11 NBA season for the Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors. A fresh start for Ross could see a better effort out of the wing from the University of Washington.
Concerns about the guard depth will be tested as Booker and Paul are expected to shoulder most of the load. But Phoenix will have help at the guard position as Durant will act as a large guard, shooting, passing and running an offense through the "Slim Reaper."
