Now what? Phoenix Suns move on after LaMarcus Aldridge picks Spurs – azcentral.com
The gap in impact between first and second places in the LaMarcus Aldridge free-agency sweepstakes is much like what the Suns encounter now. The drop in potential impact on the Suns between Aldridge and any other available free agent is severe.
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The Suns made a surprisingly effective three-day run at Aldridge to rise from longshot to runner-up but that status now is about as valuable as the multi-story downtown banner they had planned to unveil Saturday.
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It became another tough Suns loss to the Spurs when Aldridge picked the anticipated favorite for their pedigree, instant championship contention, his home state location close to his two kids and Coach Gregg Popovich’s pledge to be his coach for the entire four-year contract.
July 4 free-agency fireworks had not burned Suns fans this hard since July 4, 2012, when the Suns agreed to trade Steve Nash and sign Michael Beasley.
There is not a remaining free agent who could come close to the talent or fit that Aldridge would have given the Suns and their quest to end a five-year playoff absence. The best free agents – LeBron James, Marc Gasol and Tristan Thompson – are staying with their teams. Others like Reggie Jackson, Lou Williams and Rodney Stuckey do not appear to be fits. Kosta Koufos was possible until the Suns stocked center with Tyson Chandler alongside Alex Len. David West has been Suns small forward T.J. Warren’s mentor but he is a veteran seeking a last shot with a top team. Josh Smith? There is a better chance of Aldridge changing his mind to Phoenix than the Suns pursuing him.
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The Suns do have roster balance now with the 11 players soon to be under contract – Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight at point guard, Archie Goodwin and Devin Booker at shooting guard with Jerel McNeal (non-guaranteed), P.J. Tucker and T.J. Warren at small forward, Markieff Morris and Jon Leuer at power forward and Chandler and Len at center. It is not a mix that would have many predicting much of a rise in the West after last season’s 10th-place finish and expected improvement from the teams around them (San Antonio, Dallas, Oklahoma City, New Orleans and Utah).
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The Suns still will look to add shooting, experience, frontline help and a third point guard in free agency. They will remain open to using their cache of draft picks and young talent in a trade that lands an elite player, which they acknowledge needing to reach the next tier. Until that type of deal becomes available, it appears they will tweak the roster in free agency with role players and count on maturation from their young standouts.
That could mean pursuit of a free agent power forward like Brandon Bass, Jordan Hill, Darrell Arthur or Andrea Bargnani, a wing shooter like Rasual Butler or Dorell Wright, a defensive wing like Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and a backup point guard like Ish Smith or a Euroleague player. There also are sentimental free agency options, like a Suns return for Amar’e Stoudemire, who is interested in doing so, or a hometown career finish for Richard Jefferson.
The Suns did not want to be tied up on a free agency chase unless they had a legitimate chance. Aldridge gave them that optimism in a Wednesday meeting that put Phoenix ahead of his five other suitors. Several other free agents gave commitments in the meantime and Sacramento held a salary-dump auction for Jason Thompson, Carl Landry and Nik Stauskas.
Most top-25 free agents recommitted to their teams in the first few days of free agency. Of the ones who switched teams, the Suns were not interested in some (DeAndre Jordan to Dallas, Greg Monroe to Milwaukee, Monta Ellis to Indiana, Rajon Rondo to Sacramento), landed one target (Chandler) and missed out on pursuing another target (DeMarre Carroll to Toronto for $60 million over four years).
The Suns also now have an interesting situation with four-year power forward Markieff Morris. They clearly were trying to replace him with Aldridge. They traded away his twin and best friend, Marcus, to Detroit for next to nothing to clear the cap room for a possible Aldridge deal.
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Markieff also knows he might have been the player the Suns would have dealt in a sign-and-trade with Dallas for Tyson Chandler.
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That move now is unnecessary because they can use their cap room for Chandler’s four-year, $52 million contract.
Reach Paul Coro at [email protected]. Follow him at twitter.com/paulcoro.
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