Who Should Suns' Fifth Starter Be?
The Phoenix Suns have officially wrapped up preseason play, going 4-1 in a five-game slate. We learned several things about what to expect from the team, including the better-than-expected depth this squad possesses.
Four of the five starter spots are already decided, with Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, and Jusuf Nurkic having obvious grips on starting roles. That leaves one spot to be secured. As we previously explored in the offseason, there were at least three well-qualified options to be the fifth man in opening lineups for Phoenix.
It's always seemed as if Josh Okogie had the inside track on starting due to his strong on-ball defense, and that still may be the case. However, the strong showings from players such as Grayson Allen and Yuta Watanabe have complicated the situation and have made this a potentially difficult decision for coach Vogel.
So - who will get the nod as the final starter?
Eric Gordon
Eric Gordon brings a polished sense of scoring to the Suns.
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Gordon had an extremely strong preseason and certainly appears to have much left in the proverbial tank, even going into year 17. While the sharpshooter is almost certainly the most talented player out of this group, he's been seen as most effective in being in a sixth man role for some years now.
Phoenix's bench appears to be better than expected, but Gordon being a spark plug as the first man off the bench is a tantalizing proposition. Not being a starter also doesn't stop the former sixth-man of the year from being featured in closing lineups.
Josh Okogie
Josh Okogie has a firm grasp on the starting job in Phoenix.
Okogie still appears to be the favorite to be named the fifth starter and getting the start last night may have confirmed that suspicion.
Okogie is far and away the best defender out of this group. The relentless physicality, scrappy play, and manufactured disruption make the second-year Suns forward as viable of a Mikal Bridges replacement as one could possibly conceive.
Along with that, according to all accounts and preseason game tape, Okogie has made marked strides on the offensive side of the ball. He still isn't ball dominant, while he seems more confident in his release from deep, still appears to be ambitious when attacking driving lanes, and most importantly seems like an effective connector between the trio of Suns stars.
Grayson Allen
Grayson Allen has quietly been a good player for the Suns coming off the bench.
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Allen is probably the player that helped their case to start the most in the preseason. First and foremost, Allen has proven to back up his reputation as a knock-down shooter. Not only that, but Allen has flashed the ability to be a versatile scorer, especially as a slasher, and has been an adaptable piece in Vogel's defensive system.
Allen has shown a strong effort on the defensive side of the ball, being very disruptive off-ball (tipping passes, playing passing lanes, effectively communicating) and playing hard-nosed on ball defense most importantly.
While he isn't as effective as Okogie defensively, the ability he has to score at all three levels and serviceable defense could make him the choice to start opening night.
Keita Bates-Diop
Keita Bates-Diop was thought to have been the final starter upon arrival but has failed to impress.
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Bates-Diop was a popular pick to be the fifth starter coming into training camp, but he has likely been the player whose stock has been damaged the most in preseason.
Just to be clear, KBD hasn't been bad by any stretch of the imagination, he just hasn't done a lot to stand out, which was expected. KBD has built a reputation for being a knockdown three-point shooter and versatile defender, but neither were on conspicuous display in the five preseason games.
KBD likely has a role on the team this season, but almost certainly not as a starter.
Yuta Watanabe
Yuta Watanabe brings a wildcard component to the fifth starter spot.
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Watanabe is the wildcard in this battle. The former teammate of Kevin Durant in Brooklyn turned down more lucrative offers from several teams to come to the desert.
The forward continues a trend of sharpshooters that can be mixed-and-matched on defense in the new system. Watanabe notably played his best basketball when sharing the court with Durant, but has had plenty of moments of impressive self-sustaining play this preseason.
Watanabe likely won't start, but has built up an interesting argument at the very least, and figures to be a key cog in Vogel's rotations as the season approaches
The Verdict:
Okogie will get the nod to start the season, but don't be surprised if Allen and others potentially get starts throughout the season as well.
