Phoenix Suns 2010-2011 Preview
By: Alex Kennedy Last Updated: 9/22/10 6:20 PM ET | 2270 times read
Going into last season, the Phoenix Suns weren't sure what to expect from their roster. The team hoped they would return to the playoffs but the expectations weren't too high in Phoenix. Seven months later, the Suns found themselves giving the Los Angeles Lakers a run for their money in the Western Conference Finals. With excellent chemistry and the best offense in the league, Phoenix demanded that opposing teams take them seriously.
But with their deep playoff run in the past, new challenges have presented themselves. The Suns couldn't work out a new contract with Amar'e Stoudemire and he's now in New York. Role players such as Leandro Barbosa and Louis Amundson have also found new homes. Steve Kerr and David Griffin stepped down from their management positions in June. The team that was successful due to their familiarity and chemistry now features many new faces on the court and in the front office. Phoenix has been busy this summer and hopes to duplicate last season's success without several key contributors.
The HOOPSWORLD staff looks ahead to the 2010-2011 season and the state of the Phoenix Suns in 2010-2011.
Five Guys Think...Yannis Koutroupis - Everyone counted the Phoenix Suns out last year and they managed to make it to the Western Conference Finals. They're being counted out by the majority once again this year, but they still have a very effective system that they play very well. Their season could be determined by how well Hedo Turkoglu performs. He's no Amar'e Stoudemire, but if he can play at an All-Star level the Suns can win a lot of games. He's going to have the freedom to do whatever he wants under Alvin Gentry. With Stoudemire gone the Suns' post players are going to have to really step up and take care of business on the glass. Success in the regular season will be much easier for the Suns to achieve than it will be in the postseason.
3rd Place, Pacific DivisionBill Ingram - Amar'e Stoudemire may be gone, but with Hedo Turkoglu in town the Suns have a very lethal, if different, starter in his place. If Alvin Gentry can get the same kind of play out of Hedo that Stan Van Gundy and Gregg Popovich have gotten in the past, he could help them get back to the Western Conference Finals. If he plays like he did in Toronto, it could be a long season in Phoenix. Regardless, fellow newcomers Josh Childress and Hakim Warrick should be great fits in the run-and-gun Phoenix offense.
2nd Place, Pacific DivisionLuke Byrnes - The Phoenix Suns have gone from run and gun, to grind it out, and back to run and gun over the course of the last two seasons and the transformation continues with four-time All-NBA selection Amar'e Stoudemire bolting the desert for the New York Knicks this summer. Point guard Steve Nash remains one of the league's best playmakers and shooters and Jason Richardson gives Phoenix a dynamic athlete and scorer at the shooting guard position. Though the Suns might not have the same star power that led this team back to the playoffs season after a one-year absence, they have great depth and have assembled several pieces that should flourish in Head Coach Alvin Gentry's fast-paced system. Don't expect a championship run, but the Suns will compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
2nd Place, Pacific DivisionJoel Brigham - By adding Hedo Turkoglu, Hakim Warrick, and Josh Childress, the Phoenix Suns are hoping they will be able to fill the void left by the departure of Amar'e Stoudemire, but I've got a feeling those attempts are all going to be in vain. While Steve Nash continues to prove that he's one of the best point guards of his generation, and that he'll only get better as he gets older, there's only so much he can do with a roster that's either too old, too young, or too inconsistent. It's a truly odd mix of players outside of the Nash/Jason Richardson/Grant Hill/Channing Frye core, making it hard to see this group having too much success in the long term this season. They're probably a playoff team, but don't expect them to be a particularly good one.
3rd Place, Pacific DivisionLang Greene - The Amar'e Stoudemire era in Phoenix is over after the All-Star forward signed with the New York Knicks. To compensate for his loss, the Suns re-signed Channing Frye, traded for Hedo Turkoglu and signed Josh Childress and Hakim Warrick. The team is razor thin at center with Robin Lopez expected to inherit the starting duties. Matter of fact, Grant Hill is the leading returning rebounder on the roster and he pulled down only 5.5 per game in 2010. The presence of point guard Steve Nash pushing the tempo and setting up teammates can never be underestimated. Expect Phoenix to be in the playoff mix, but the logjam on the perimeter and lack of depth on the interior will be too much for this club to overcome --- in terms of being a true title contender.
2nd Place, Pacific Division
Top Of The List
Top Offensive Player: Steve Nash. With their leading scorer from last season now a member of the Knicks, the Suns will need everyone to step up offensively. That starts with Steve Nash, whose 16.5 points per game was the second highest in Phoenix. Nash has always been one of the best playmakers in the league but this season, he could be used in more of a scoring role at times. Alvin Gentry has hinted that Hedo Turkoglu may spend some time handling the ball which would allow the Suns to take advantage of Nash's excellent shooting ability and knack for scoring. With Stoudemire leaving, Nash was already expected to lead the team offensively. But with Gentry tweaking the offense to give Nash more looks, his role as top offensive player in Phoenix is solidified.
Top Defensive Player: Jared Dudley. When LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade were in town to play the Suns last season, Jared Dudley was the one invading their personal space. As the lockdown defender in Phoenix, Dudley usually guards the opposing team's best player and his focus has rubbed off on teammates. The Suns have never been known for their defense but showed significant improvements last season. Dudley, who spent this summer watching film of the league's best scorers, was a big part of that. Dudley has dropped thirteen pounds this offseason to help him keep up with the league's elite scorers. While Phoenix has acquired several new forwards this summer, Dudley is still the team's best perimeter defender and his contributions will be important.
Top Playmaker: Steve Nash. In Las Vegas, Suns' coaches all said some version of 'we still have Steve Nash' when asked about their optimism heading into next season. After leading the league in assists last season with 11.0 per game, Nash remains one of the best playmakers in the league and improves everyone around him. The Suns are excited to see how new additions such as Hedo Turkoglu, Hakim Warrick, and Josh Childress can perform alongside Nash. He makes things easier for his teammates and elevates their games to new levels. At thirty-six years old, Nash is still one of the best point guards in the league and the Suns will need him to continue playing at a high level if they want to be competitive next season.
Top Clutch Player: Steve Nash. Who else would the Suns trust with the ball late in games? Steve Nash is not only the best clutch player in Phoenix but also in the league. Only LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and Carmelo Anthony scored more points in crunch time than the Suns' floor general. Nash also leads the league in assists in the final five minutes of close games. Last season, Amar'e Stoudemire was Phoenix's second most productive player late in games. With his departure, expect Nash's clutch numbers to increase even more this season.
The Unheralded Player: Gani Lawal. With the Suns acquiring so many new players through trades and free agency, it's easy to forget about Gani Lawal. The Suns drafted him in the second round and are expecting big things from him. After averaging 15.4 points and 7.4 rebounds in Summer League, the Suns had nothing but good things to say about the rookie. The Suns say that the biggest thing Lawal needs is experience and they expect to give him that this season. Lawal's minutes will depend on how Phoenix decides to use their new pieces but he's still a player that the Suns are very excited about.
Best New Addition: Hedo Turkoglu. To say that last season was a disappointment for Hedo Turkoglu is a huge understatement. After signing a five-year, $53 million contract with the Toronto Raptors, he put up his worst numbers across the board since becoming a starter in 2004. But despite his struggles, the Suns were still willing to trade Leandro Barbosa for the forward. Phoenix hopes that a change of scenery will help Turkoglu bounce back and produce like he did as a member of the Magic. The Suns feel that Turkoglu will thrive in their system as a shooter and they expect him to be a big part of the offense next season. Two summers ago, Turkoglu was the top free agent and coveted by many teams. The Suns are hoping he can return to form and put last season's terrible outing behind him.
Who We Like
1. Steve Nash – See above... Since signing in 2004, Nash has become the Phoenix Suns. He's the engine that makes the team run and without him, his teammates can start planning their summer vacations because the playoffs are a long shot. What's not to like about the two-time MVP? He is getting extremely close to being one of the only players in NBA history to shoot 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free throw line over the course of a career. He is the second all-time leader in career free throw percentage and fifth in three-point percentage. Unlike the other all-time best shooters, whose skill sets were pretty one dimensional, Nash is also one of the best point guards in league history. He has the eighth most assists in league history and rather than declining as he ages, Nash just keeps getting better year after year. Not only is he the best player on the Suns' roster, he is a lock for the Hall of Fame as one of the best point guards of all-time.
2. Hakim Warrick – Alvin Gentry has made it clear that the Suns see Hakim Warrick as Amar'e Stoudemire's replacement and he expects big things from the power forward. He says that Warrick will play more minutes than ever, will have a bigger role than in previous years, and that the Suns are expecting him to step up. While he has big shoes to fill, Warrick is a hard worker who will greatly benefit from playing with Steve Nash. If he adjusts to Phoenix's system and jells with his new teammates, Warrick could be poised for a great year.
3. Jared Dudley – Not only is Dudley the top defensive player in Phoenix, he'll also be very important as the group tries to develop chemistry. Last season, was the glue guy in the locker room and, like Steve Nash, filmed funny videos throughout that brought the team together. Dudley is important to the Suns and with his contract ending after the season, expect him to have a big year.
4. Robin Lopez – It was no coincidence that the Suns found success after moving Robin Lopez into the starting lineup midway through last season. He gave the team a presence down low, made easy baskets, and did the dirty work as the only player in the lineup that wasn't having plays drawn up for him. As he enters his third season, he'll have a bigger role and how he performs will be a factor in determining how good this Suns team can be. He'll need to stay healthy and play well if Phoenix wants to duplicate last season's success.
5. Grant Hill – At thirty-seven years old, Grant Hill's leadership and experience will be invaluable to this team. He sets the tone with his hard work, defensive intensity, and focus. With so many younger players being expected to take on new, bigger roles, Hill becomes even more important to Phoenix than he was last season during their playoff run. With his contract expiring after the season, Hill's future is up in the air but his role as mentor and leader in Phoenix is not.
6. Josh Childress – Because he was acquired on the same day as Hedo Turkoglu, the addition of Josh Childress has been somewhat overlooked. Since entering the league, he has never averaged less than ten points in a season and will return to the NBA as a much better player. While in Greece, Childress honed his abilities and improved as the top option in Olympiakos' offense. With the Suns, he'll provide scoring and rebounding behind Jason Richardson. Phoenix's bench was already one of the best in the league last season but the addition of Childress makes them even better.
Strengths
The Phoenix Suns are consistently one of the best offensive teams in the NBA. Last season, they led the league in points per game, field goal percentage, and three point percentage. Their style of play pushes the ball for transition scores and they have one of the best floor generals in the league running their offense in Steve Nash. The Suns were also one of the best rebounding teams in the league last season but new frontcourt players will have to step up to maintain that position. While their defense has improved, Phoenix will always be a team that scores a lot of points and beat opponents by forcing them into their style of play. Even without Amar'e Stoudemire, the Suns will continue to be a high scoring team and move forth with many of the same strengths that they've relied on in recent years.
Weaknesses
Defensively, the Suns still have some work to do. There's no question that they've improved over the years but they'll need to improve in a few areas if they want to be competitive. Last season, Phoenix finished second to last in steals per game. With so many questions about their interior defense this season, the Suns' bigs will need some help. Phoenix was also a very average shot-blocking team last year. With Stoudemire gone, they'll really need others to step up in that department. Chemistry was one of Phoenix's biggest strengths last season but after a summer of changes, it needs work heading into the season. They have added six new faces and how they come together as a group will largely determine how successful this team will be.
What Needs To Be Said On Opening Day....
Welcome to what everyone is calling a year in transition for us. There is no doubt things will be different here in Phoenix this season. We need to rely on the versatility of our roster to be successful – we will want to push the ball up the floor, like we always have, and find shooters and finishers at every opportunity. Steve, we will need you to pump up the scoring volume to some degree, but thankfully, we have Hedo to take away some of the playmaking duties. Hedo will really give us a dimension that a lot of teams will struggle to defend. The real key for us will be having everyone commit to rebounding the basketball. With Amaré gone, that is a void. Robin, you need to be the guy who steps up the most in that regard. This might be a transition year for us, but we can surprise some people if everything comes together.
- Anthony Macri
From The Capologist
The Suns made the Western Conference Finals last season, but Amar`e Stoudemire leaving for the Big Apple hurts their chances of enjoying the same success in 2010-11. The team brought in Hedo Turkoglu, Josh Childress and Hakim Warrick to try to make up for the loss, but may find themselves out of the playoff running next spring. Their core of Steve Nash and Grant Hill is getting up there in age, but the Suns would be very reluctant to move Nash, who has been the face of the franchise since his arrival from Dallas six years ago.
The Burning Question
How will the Suns move on without Amar'e Stoudemire?
When a team loses their franchise player, the big question is always who will step up? Rather than bringing in one person to replace Stoudemire's production, the Suns are relying on a cast of players as they move on. Veterans such as Steve Nash, Jason Richardson, and Grant Hill will likely take on bigger roles in the offense to help carry the scoring load. But as far as replacing Stoudemire down low goes, Phoenix has several options. Hakim Warrick, Robin Lopez, Channing Frye, Earl Clark, and Gani Lawal will audition at the four and five and whoever steps up will receive the minutes. While none of those players have perennial All-Star written on them, the Suns hope that this balanced, group approach can be effective. Stoudemire was such a big part of Phoenix's game plan and drew so much attention from opposing teams so replacing him will be difficult. How well they manage to move on to life after Amar'e will be important in determining their success next season and in the future.
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