5 teams that got better during 2020 NBA free agency
3. Phoenix Suns
Fresh off an 8-0 run during their seeding games in the Orlando bubble, the Phoenix Suns decided it was time to accelerate their rebuild.
The Suns shipped a package including Ricky Rubio and Kelly Oubre Jr. to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Chris Paul, who guided the Thunder to an unlikely playoff berth last season. The 10-time All-Star won’t be a part of Phoenix’s long-term future, but he should be a phenomenal backcourt complement to All-Star 2-guard Devin Booker provided he can stay healthy.
The Suns didn’t stop after acquiring Paul, though. With Oubre gone, they pivoted toward shoring up their depth at the forward spots, signing Jae Crowder to a three-year, $29.2 million contract and re-signing Dario Saric to a three-year, $27 million deal.
Crowder started all 21 games with the Miami Heat during their march to the NBA Finals this past season, averaging 12.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 triples per game. Although Oubre is more talented than him in a vacuum, he’s better suited for a lower-usage, 3-and-D role. He’s also versatile enough defensively to work in switch-heavy schemes, which should make him a strong fit alongside the similarly switchy Mikal Bridges.
Saric had an up-and-down first season with the Suns in 2019-20, but he seemed to hit his stride in the bubble. Coming off the bench in all but one game, the 26-year-old went off for 14.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 triples in only 23.8 minutes per night. If he stays in that super-sub role behind Crowder or Cam Johnson, he could find himself in the running for Sixth Man of the Year.
The Suns rounded out their depth chart by signing Langston Galloway and E’Twaun Moore, both of whom should compete for a role in the rotation. Galloway can provide some scoring pop as a combo guard off the bench, while Moore will be a depth swingman to plug in behind Bridges and Crowder.
The Western Conference projects to be a bloodbath as usual, but the Suns now have the personnel in place to contend for their first playoff berth in more than a decade.