The Phoenix Suns made a surprising move earlier this week, as they waived both Nassir Little and E.J. Liddell. A pair of players who would have struggled to have even made the team’s second unit, but who it was thought might have some trade value around the league.
Rather than continue to try and get something back – the $22 million and three years remaining on Little’s contract looked moveable – the Suns decided to cut bait on the duo altogether. In doing so they’ve saved themselves some money for this year, but this decision goes beyond impacting owner Mat Ishbia’s pockets.
The organization may only be armed with the veteran’s minimum to try and entice these players to The Valley, but they’ve had great success with this already. Legitimate rotation players such as Mason Plumlee, Monte Morris and even Tyus Jones coming to Phoenix on minimum deals.
The franchise could also elect to keep this spot free – which their rookies will be hoping is the case so they get more of a look in – and instead return to roster improvement at the trade deadline. Being in the second apron makes the buyout market a more difficult landscape to enter, while pickups like Thaddeus Young and Isaiah Thomas did nothing to help last year anyway.
1. Oshae Brissett
Now for something completely different. Is Oshae Brissett limited in what he can bring to a team? Absolutely, and yet he appeared in 55 regular season games for the Boston Celtics as they went all the way to win a championship. Even better, he played in 10 postseason games as part of that run, although his minutes were halved from just over 11 each night to 5.5 in the playoffs.
Brissett is an interesting case because he provides cover at a position of need for the Suns. Whereas the point guard position was the issue last season, this time out a couple of bigger bodies behind Durant couldn’t hurt. Brissett gets bonus points because he’s been part of a championship run and knows what’s required.
Best of all, he can play next to centers like Plumlee or Jusuf Nurkic, but can also take some of their minutes depending on matchup. Behind those two bigs plus Durant, coach Budenholzer is working with Bol Bol (who is not a defender), and a pair of rookies in Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn who mean well and will have their moments, but who will also make plenty of mistakes.
2. Markelle Fultz
Full disclosure… we’ve beat this drum before. But Markelle Fultz makes so much sense on this version of the Suns’ roster. His time with the Orlando Magic was a productive one, and it is there that Fultz got his confidence back after the “yips” issue which plagued him earlier in his career.
The Magic have gotten younger and frankly better, but Fultz was once the second best player for that organization in a playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks. His shooting is never going to be great, but his driving, passing while pushing into the paint and defending are all above average.
3. Reggie Bullock Jr.
Admit it, you hadn’t considered Reggie Bullock Jr. until right now. Still only 33-years-old – and having shot over 40 percent from deep in 44 games for the Houston Rockets last season – Bullock Jr. could fill a niche and needed role for this group.
That of the long-range shooter who stretches the offensive end even more for the star trio of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Bullock Jr. isn’t on the same level as Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale anymore – themselves fantastic 3-point enthusiasts – but his large from means he can still give a little something on the defensive end as well. Plus, you know… offseason at Reggie’s island.
So too can Allen and O’Neale – both might even be better than Bullock Jr. – but he would be another option for opponents to worry about on a nightly basis. We’re not about to compare him to Klay Thompson and what he can do for the Dallas Mavericks, and yet Bullock Jr. could be an extreme discount version of that.
4. Jae Crowder
Yes we’ve been here before, but the time for Jae Crowder to make a return to Phoenix might just be now. He’s still without a team, and has just enough juice left on the defensive end to have a limited about of impact on any given night. He’s also familiar with new head coach Mike Budenholzer from their time together with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The addition of Crowder could have another beneficial impact, as it could signal the end of Josh Okogie’s time with the Suns. He was brought back on a new deal this summer – two-years, $16 million – but that was done with a view to trading him down the road. Like Little and Liddell, his spot with the bench group is not even guaranteed.
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