In the 2024 NBA Buyout Market, whom should the Suns target?
With the trade deadline being over, a whole new dialogue has started. There are still slots available on the Phoenix Suns’ roster, and the organization is trying to fill them with players that were just waived by their previous teams.
How do players of caliber get waived? Now let’s examine Chimezie Metu. In the Royce O’Neale/David Roddy transaction, he was moved by Phoenix, and the Memphis Grizzlies acquired the versatile big man/wing. They didn’t do this because the Grizzlies were making special efforts to obtain Mezie; rather, they did it to make the money work. So they released him after the transaction was completed.
At this point, we discussed the needs of the Suns roster. 72% of our community members felt that the team’s greatest need before to the trade deadline was a point guard, whether they were to start or come off the bench. Playmaking had been a problem, and a conventional PG was thought to be the solution.
At this point, we discussed the needs of the Suns roster. 72% of our community members felt that the team’s greatest need before to the trade deadline was a point guard, whether they were to start or come off the bench. Playmaking had been a problem, and a conventional PG was thought to be the solution.
The needs have evolved since the trade deadline. When asked what the team’s top priority right now is, other from health, the answer is defense, followed by rebounding.
The Suns are a middle-of-the-pack defensive team through 53 games, not what we expected with Frank Vogel at the helm. Known for being a defensive coach, his teams have been in the top ten regularly. This season, however, the Suns ranked 15th in opposing points (114.4), 16th in opposing 3 PT% (36.8%), and 14th in defensive rating (114.8). Overall, the team has a +3.1 net rating (11th)
The issue isn’t necessarily their first team unit, either. In the 18 games and 261 minutes that Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen, and Jusuf Nurkic have played together, the team has a 116.7 defensive rating. The difference? Their offensive rating is 129.3 which equates to a +12.5 net rating. The second-team unit defense is an area of concern as there hasn’t been much offense to accompany it.
