The Phoenix Suns made a significant amount of moves this summer, mostly through the NBA Draft. They used the draft to select players like DeAndre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, and Élie Okobo and they signed Trevor Ariza in free agency. While that should help them improve, they still have more needs, and an impactful playmaking point guard might be on the top of that list.
The need for a point guard from the Suns is a true testament to how quickly things can change in the NBA. Back in 2015, they had Eric Bledsoe, Gordan Dragic, and Isaiah Thomas all on the same team and now all three of them are on different teams. Bledsoe was the last of the group to remain, but his “I Dont wanna be here” tweet prompted the Suns to trade him early last season.
I Dont wanna be here
— Eric Bledsoe (@EBled2) October 22, 2017
The rebuilding took a toll on Bledsoe, and he ultimately requested a trade in the preseason before the 2017-18 regular season began. It made sense for both parties involved. Phoenix is still in the early stages of the rebuilding process while Bledsoe was set to turn 28-years-old in December and would be best suited with a team that is ready to win now.
“I felt like with where the team was headed, it was time for me to move on,” he said. “They’ve got an amazing, young, talented team and I feel like it was time for me to find a better situation for my career. It had nothing to do with anything the Suns had going on. I made the decision that this was best for me.
“I felt like it was time [to leave], especially when they sat me down last year,” Bledsoe acknowledged. “It gave me a better picture, a more clearer picture of what I needed to do.”
As of right now, the Suns have Brandon Knight and the freshly drafted Élie Okobo as their main point guard options. Knight has proven to be too ineffective as a playmaker and is a defensive liability while Okobo is a rookie that is going to take time to develop. Phoenix does not have a sufficient option for their starting point guard role on their current roster.
When evaluating potential point guard options, it’s important to identify players that are not defensive liabilities that can provide a reliable playmaking and jump shooting impact. The focus of this article is not about which specific options are the best. However, I will be covering that soon. What I am focusing on is the benefits of upgrading the point guard spot.
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