5 offseason moves the Phoenix Suns have to make

Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns stands on the court with Mikal Bridges #25, Devin Booker #1 and Cameron Johnson #23 during the first half of Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Footprint Center on May 15, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 123-90. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne (15): Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Find a bench playmaker who can come into the clutch

The Mavericks got 30 points from Spencer Dinwiddie coming off the bench in Game 7. Meanwhile, the Suns’ leading scorer came off the bench. It was Cameron Johnson. He had 12 points. There was nobody on the Suns’ first unit or second unit that could do anything. The Suns on paper seemed stacked from top to bottom, but once the games actually mattered, the team had trouble hitting its shots.

Cam Johnson and Cameron Payne were the Suns’ two best scoring options off the bench. They both averaged a little more than 12 points per game this season. Payne tanked in the postseason. His scoring averages dropped to a paltry 4.2 points per game. Johnson was still just as good, but that wasn’t enough to save the Suns. Nobody was stepping up. They needed someone to come off the bench and give the Suns a jolt. There was nobody who could do that. Outside of Johnson, nobody off the bench averaged more than 7 points per game. Outside of JaVale McGee, nobody scored 5.

There are plenty of fun options for the Suns to target. They might want to go after a veteran, similar to how the Knicks use Derrick Rose. They could also go after a young player looking for a chance, just like the Mavericks used Dinwiddie.

One thing that is clear is the Suns don’t have that option on the roster right now. They need to find a true playmaker who is willing to play on that second unit. The Suns will still be considered one of the Western Conference’s contenders, so players will be willing to take different roles. They just need to find the right fit on that second unit next to Johnson.

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