The Phoenix Suns recently signed Bol Bol and traded Cam Payne. How will the starting five shape up with the new additions?
The Phoenix Suns have put together a rather remarkable offseason. First, the Bradley Beal trade. Then, a series of clutch veteran minimum signings that leaves them with more depth than before — not to mention GM James Jones' subsequent moves to replenish Phoenix's depleted stock of draft picks.
Those moves continued on Sunday. The Suns signed Bol Bol to a one-year minimum contract, then traded Cam Payne and a future second-round pick to the Spurs for a different future second-round pick. To wrap it all up, the Suns sent the Magic a future first-round pick swap in exchange for three future second-round picks.
It's not hard to decipher the motivation behind Phoenix's moves here. On one hand, there's genuine untapped upside with Bol on a minimum contract. The Payne trade is a pure salary dump to save tax money on the margins. Meanwhile, the Orlando trade refurbishes the Suns' draft stockpile, which is more important than ever given the increased value of young, cheap talent under the new CBA.
So, with all these moves complete, what will Phoenix's starting five look like?
Suns depth chart: Projected starting five after Bol Bol signing, Cam Payne trade
- PG: Bradley Beal
- SG: Devin Booker
- SF: Josh Okogie
- PF: Kevin Durant
- C: Deandre Ayton
Bol doesn't really influence the starting five directly. He spent time in the Magic starting lineup last season but was ultimately benched in favor of more reliable defenders. The Suns still have Deandre Ayton as their workhorse center, but Bol could compete with players like Drew Eubanks, Yuta Watanabe, and Keita Bates-Diop for minutes in the second unit.
The Payne trade, on the other hand, clarifies the Suns' backcourt plans. Beal is expected to be the nominal starting "point guard" according to Shams Charania of the Athletic, but expect Devin Booker to get plenty of on-ball reps. Jordan Goodwin, who came over with Beal from Washington, is the backup point guard. Eric Gordon will also see plenty of ball-handling reps with the second unit, one has to imagine.
Durant and Okogie will probably man the wings for Phoenix at the start of games, but it will be interesting to see how frequently Okogie closes games. He's a brilliant wing defender but his lack of offensive dynamism can be exploited in high-leverage moments. The Suns could close super-small with Eric Gordon on the wing or favor a better shooter like Keita Bates-Diop when crunch time arrives.
Bol's place in Phoenix will be fascinating to monitor. He's one of the highest "upside" plays on the Suns' older roster, but he comes with significant defensive limitations and a very mixed bag on the offensive end. Bol is frequently roasted in space defensively, but he lacks the physicality to defend fives full-time. On offense, he's an inconsistent shooter who averages more turnovers than assists.
The Suns would be wise to give Bol a long leash in the regular season, but don't be shocked if he's little more than an afterthought once the playoffs arrive.
