PG: Eric Bledsoe/Brandon Knight/Tyler Ulis
SG: Devin Booker/Archie Goodwin/John Jenkins
SF: P.J. Tucker/T.J. Warren
PF: Jared Dudley/Dragan Bender/Marquese Chriss
C: Alex Len/Tyson Chandler/Alan Williams
Free Agents
PF Jon Leuer
SF Chase Budinger
PG Ronnie Price
PF Mirza Teletovic
Who They Acquired
04. Dragan Bender, F/C Maccabi Tel Aviv
Despite their proclivity to search for quick fixes, Robert Sarver's Suns made the correct decision and drafted the best prospect available, despite the fact that he won't be able to step in from day one and be a starting level contributor. Bender is a wonderful prospect for the modern NBA and the exact type of player the high usage, guard heavy Suns need.
09. Marquese Chriss, PF Washington
The Suns traded their latter two of three first round picks and the draft rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic to move up from 13 to 9 and select Chriss, whom was in play starting at three and represented the clear end of a tier. Chriss is loaded with potential but really needs time to develop and learn the game. The physical talent and raw offensive skill are obvious, but the lack of feel and experience are just as well.
34. Tyler Ulis, PG Kentucky
Despite buzz that he would be a first round pick, logic won out and no one drafted a sub-150 pound guard with a first round pick. In the second round, as a clear backup or even third guard, Ulis is much more palatable. Ulis is the third point guard on the Suns roster and believe it or not, the fifth Kentucky guard on Phoenix's roster.
How They Fit
Bender is exactly the type of player the Suns need, a low-usage player that is completely content to do the little things, spacing the floor, passing, and defending on the perimeter while players like Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Devin Booker, and TJ Warren soak up offensive possessions. Bender is an ideal modern NBA big man who can play in a switching defense, space the floor, and be a ball-mover offensively. His rookie year, Bender should probably just play 15-20 minutes a game as he develops his body and adjusts to the NBA game. Once he is able to play starters minutes, there is a ton you can do with Bender, including playing both sides of the pick and roll as either ball-handler or screener, where he can pop or roll. Defensively, Bender will likely need a strong rim protector next to him, because his strengths defensively lie more in his ability to guard on the perimeter and switch. Perhaps it will change as his body develops, but currently Bender is just average on the glass, so a center and wings/guards that can rebound would be a benefit. Alex Len has shown flashes of that level of rebounding and defense but the jury is still out regarding whether or not he can become that guy.
Chriss shares some of the same weaknesses as Bender, namely his troubles on the glass, so pairing him with players who are good rebounders like Warren, PJ Tucker, and Bledsoe would be advantageous. Chriss is so good getting up and down the floor that he would be a real threat in a uptempo offense where he can get out and run. Chriss needs to develop his feel, instincts, and polish but the flashes he gives show a forward that can attack off the dribble and shoot from the outside. He could be a devastating pick-and-roll player due to his smooth athleticism and explosiveness as a roll-man or popping for a jumper, once his jumper get consistent. Further away yet is an ability to score in isolation, the tools are definitely there but serious refinement is needed going forward as he learns actual moves and builds his experience. All of this might be a few years away, but the reward of patient development could lead to a devastating offensive player with serious switchability on defense. Chriss might spend most of his time in the D-League, as he probably won't be ready for the big team quite yet, especially considering his very high foul rate. The question of long-term fit with Bender and Chriss comes down to whether or not Bender can play center eventually, which will likely be determined by how his body fills out. Still, as more and more teams turn to small-ball lineups, it's hard to see Bender being punished too severely but a lack of strength, especially since if you have Bender and Chriss, you are probably switching everything anyways so that would mitigate many of those issues.
Ulis is a player tailor made for backup or third point guard because he is too physically small (not just short, small) to be effective against starters, but his ability to run pick-and-roll means that when he is on the floor you are going to have an effective offense, even if he really struggled to defend anyone with size. If Knight isn't traded and Ronnie Price is brought back, I would keep Ulis in the D-League for much of the season so he can build chemistry with Chriss. Defensively, Ulis defintely gives tremendous effort but 5-10, 150 he is little better than a traffic cone in the NBA, though he is good picking up steals. You'd want to play a big guard with Ulis to cover up but his utter lack of size and strength would hurt your ability to switch. The question with Ulis is how his intangibles, his leadership and work ethic, can have an affect, if any.
What They Need Going Forward
First and foremost, the Suns need to solve their logjam at center and guard, Alex Len and Tyson Chandler are completely redundant and cannot be played together. Whether by trade, buyout, or stretch it is time for Chandler to move on, presumably to the contender he desires. If Chandler is moved, Alan Williams should be given his shot as the backup, but the Suns should still look for depth, particularly an athletic big that can move and defend the rim. At guard, the Suns have four players that are best with the ball in the hands and a fifth, Devin Booker, that will need plenty of possessions himself. Whether it's Goodwin, Knight, or even Bledsoe, the Suns need to find balance to their roster and get some lower usage wings to compliment their ball-dominant players. At small forward, the Suns have two guys who are probably better at power forward and might not be starter quality, while at power forward there is only Chriss and Bender, neither of whom are ready to play starters minutes. So either the Suns need to move Tucker and Warren to power forward and acquire a small forward or they need to find a power forward. Even with Warren and Tucker there, depth will be needed at both spots. Phoenix signed Jared Dudley to a reasonable deal that will likely have him playing power forward, but they could use another combo forward, perhaps Maurice Harkless. To maximize their current roster and help their young players the most, Phoenix should look for shooters at the forward spots that can create space for Len posting up and their ball-dominant guards.
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