| 5 Ways the Suns Can Become Legit Contenders Authored by J.T. Magee - January 18, 2006 - 6:20 pm
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Even though they are a good 10+ games over .500, they still have their deficiencies. In this article, I will propose five ways the Suns can go from a good team that can’t get over the hump to a team that can beat someone like San Antonio to get to the Finals. Granted, a couple of these proposals can’t be done, but they do present options that can open up other options.
1. Get Boris Diaw a Jump shot.
Without a doubt, Diaw is the Most Improved Player this season. David West of the Hornets has been very, very consistent and is a big reason why the Hornets are about .500. Diaw has simply shown everyone what type of player he can be by being traded from Atlanta in the off season. How many players can say they’ve guarded the likes of Yao Ming, Elton Brand and Rashard Lewis? Diaw has done a lot for the Suns, putting up 12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists. To go along with those numbers, he’s shooting 50% from the floor and adding .81 steals and 1.11 blocks per. One question pops up though: if he’s shooting 50%, how does he need a shot?
To start off, his free throw percentage is anything but good. He is averaging a career high 70%, but this is the first season he is doing so. His shot has improved, a lot. It is clear he has been working with Phil Weber, the same man who has helped Stoudemire’s mid-range game. His jump, follow through and release point looks almost identical to Stoudemire’s. He is shooting better than anyone would’ve thought and it is a big reason why the Suns have been winning, but it needs consistency. He has been in a nice stretch where he has averaged 15.7 points on 60.6% since Dec. 26th. That was the day where he put up a career high 31 points against the Timberwolves. In that stretch of 11 games, the Suns are 9-2. (These stats are excluding the Suns loss against the Kings on 1/17/06.)
His shot is there. Now it needs consistency. Once he gets that, which he is starting to, then the Suns can use one more player on the floor that can stretch out the defense. Since he guards the bigger guys, having him on the elbow initiating the offense brings the big men of opposing teams out towards him. Normally, they would let him shoot. Now that he’s starting to get his shot, teams will have to come out to him, which will open up the middle. This will create cuts and a lot more opportunities on offense and what Head Coach Mike D’Antoni can do.
2. Dangle a pick, like one of Atlanta’s, and the TE for someone like Chris Wilcox.
Wilcox has been buried behind MVP candidate Elton Brand. He was a Lottery pick at one time, even being selected over the Suns’ Stoudemire. The Clippers haven’t dealt him because he is close to becoming a restricted free agent. The Clippers may lose him to a team that can offer more than what they can match, so it would be best for them to get something in return.
But why would Phoenix deal a pick for someone like him? It’s simple. He fits into what the do, which is run, but he also presents something Phoenix has been lacking ever since last season: rebounding.
Wilcox has been quoted to like a situation like New Jersey, where he can get out on the run and be a focal point on offense. In all honesty, he would be a better fit with the Suns, even with Kurt Thomas helming the 5 and Diaw playing big most of the time. But when Stoudemire comes back, most of their minutes will be cut, which is another why a trade for Wilcox may make less sense. In one sense, it does, because if the Suns trade for Wilcox, they may have a hard time finding him minutes with those three. But a deal for him makes sense because, for one, you can’t be too deep.
He brings a nice low-post game to the Suns. When things slow down a little bit in the playoffs, it’s nice to have an option down low. Wilcox can be that man. The Suns’ coaching staff can work with him and help pass out of a double team to anyone standing on the 3 point line. If no double team comes, then he can go to his jump hook. He jumps so high on it; almost no one can block it.
It would be very hard for the Clippers to deal a player like Wilcox, who is essentially Brand insurance, to a division rival. They wouldn’t want him to succeed in the division they are competing for a title in. Another draft pick, potentially a Lottery pick, and either someone like Jim Jackson or the Suns’ Trade Exception they acquired in the Joe Johnson deal, or should I say Boris Diaw deal, is hard to pass up. If the Clippers do trade him, the most likely destination is in the East, probably the Nets. They also have a young rookie that can step in and deliver six rebounds in limited minutes, James Singleton. I would say the Suns should deal for him, because he is a rebounding ball hawk, but he is right around 6’8” and would have a harder time guarding the bigger guys when the Suns go small. Wilcox can handle the bigger guys better only because he is a little bigger than Singleton. But Wilcox has a better trade value than Singleton and Phoenix has the necessary pieces to acquire him. It’s just a matter of whether or not they can bring in a third team do to a deal.
Press
Press, press, press. This is the most effective way the Suns can stop other people’s transition buckets. Phoenix can score on the break, but there a lot of times where they give up a quick bucket down on the other end. One way to solve this is to press. Use Diaw as a guy who can guard the in bounder. Once he passes it in, bring him over to double team the ball. The second the ball gets passed, everyone can get back on defense. Depending on the type of press, this can really help the Suns.
Phoenix is a fast breaking team, but that doesn’t stop other teams from being able to do the same. Granted, they aren’t as effective as the Suns, but they can still run. One way to slow them down is a simple 1-2-2 press. Diaw up front, Nash and Bell on the wings and Marion and Thomas back. Most of the time, when the Suns press, it wouldn’t be with their starters, but when Barbosa comes in, that’s when the press can really become handy. He’s got the body to handle being able to press: long, quick and happy feet.
Now, I’m not saying press every single time, but if the Suns can mix it in at least anywhere from 5-10 times a game, then they have a shot of winning by around 6-10 points because it takes a little time off the other team’s shot clock. The only way this could backfire is if the Suns go cold. Since they are a jump shooting team, this can happen on any given night. But it’s worth a try.
Find the Brad Lidge or Mariano Rivera or Trevor Hoffman on the team
Not much to it here. Phoenix needs a closer. Not someone who can throw a 90 mph curve, but someone who can close out the game. In a lot of close games, Phoenix has not had a consistent scoring option in the clutch. They may go to Nash. They may go to Marion. Both are viable options, but they haven’t drawn up plays for them consistently. Eddie House has attempted a buzzer-beater and missed. Kurt Thomas has attempted a buzzer beater and missed. Who can step up and fill that role?
Phoenix plays a well balanced team game. But it takes only one person to shoot the ball. Find that one guy and get him the ball in the clutch. If he misses, so be it. Its better that one guy gets the ball consistently rather than finding an open but different player on each close play. From the looks of it, Stoudemire is going to be that guy. Until he comes back, Phoenix needs to find someone who can fill that role. They’ve lost at least five games in the final seconds and two triple-overtime games. If they had that one guy, these losses coulda woulda shoulda been wins.
Find another point guard for Nash
Nash is getting tired. It may not look like it, but his body is starting to wear down from the 35+ minutes he’s had to play. Barbosa was out for a while, so Nash had to play more than he should. Even with Barbosa playing, Nash still runs the point. It is clear that Barbosa is being used as a scoring guard first and a passing guard fourth. Barbosa has the ability to play the point, but until he finds it within himself, it’s not going to happen. House can pass the ball once or twice in a set, but can he direct a team during a break? He’s bounced around because he’s been a scoring guard. With Phoenix, he’s found his niche as the instant offense. At this point, his game will not progress to the point where he can play 10-15 minutes at the PG.
This is why Phoenix needs to find someone and find him now. Whether it is Carlos Arroyo from the Pistons or someone playing overseas or in a lower league, they need to find him now. Arroyo would be a very nice compliment backing up Nash. He would get 20 minutes per, but Phoenix would probably have to give up Jim Jackson and Eddie House. House is playing too good for Phoenix and he wouldn’t get the minutes in Detroit. Arroyo would cheap and has shown that he is willing to put the game on his shoulders in the past, specifically the ’04 Olympics.
Another guy the Suns would welcome with open arms is Luke Ridnour. In Seattle, he is basically untradeable, but if the package is right, you can never say never. Rid loves to push it and will continue to do so. But Seattle doesn’t have the drive to run like they did under Nate McMillian. Phoenix is the perfect place for Ridnour and the best successor for Nash. He would not come cheap, although he is a restricted free agent next season. At this point, I’m throwing names out there, but if any point guard in a bad situation can come to Phoenix and succeed, it’s these two. There’s also a rookie that will be rumored to don a Suns uni in a few years, but that’s a little too far in the future. Look for him to be on the US team in the FIBA Championships and the ’08 Olympics. This is just speculation on my part. I cannot say anyone is guaranteed to be on there, but this rookie is the most likely to be on the team and possibly play for the Suns in the future. After all, the Suns’ CEO is runnin’ the show for the Team USA. |
