3 players who could break into Suns starting lineup
No. 2 player who could break into Suns starting lineup: Eric Gordon
Eric Gordon was the crown jewel of veteran minimum signings. Phoenix managed to overcome a bustling market to acquire the veteran sharpshooter, who the Clippers waived in advance of his $21 million team option for next season. It’s not difficult to see the path to success for Gordon in Phoenix. He’s one of the best long-distance shooters in the NBA. The Suns are going to spread the defense, then collapse it inward. It’s easy money.
Gordon is special because he’s not just a 3-point shooter. He’s a deep 3-point shooter, capable of setting up shop several steps behind the line. It made him the perfect complement to James Harden and Chris Paul in his Houston heyday. He should find similar success in Phoenix, even if Gordon is a step slower than he once was. The Suns don’t have the same rim pressure mechanism as Houston did, but the defense will collapse around Durant and Booker in the middle of the floor all the same. Gordon will be there to catch and shoot.
A quick-trigger shooter carries a lot of value for teams with stars who absorb as much offensive oxygen as Phoenix’s stars. Durant, Booker, and Beal will all handle the rock and attack the defense with deliberate patience. Gordon is the pressure relief valve, the last-ditch option on the perimeter. He’s not there to dribble the air out of the ball and make complex decisions. Here’s there to shoot or pass, and he’s comfortable in the confines of that role.
Of course, Gordon can dribble a bit. The Suns won’t really need him to operate as backup point guard, but he’s comfortable setting the table and initiating sets. Gordon doesn’t have the quickest first step anymore but he’s built like a tank. He makes good use of his broad shoulders to carve out space for finishes off drives to the rim. If the defender closes out too quickly, Gordon can penetrate and pose a varied threat.
The defensive fit is less assured, which is the biggest hurdle between Gordon and a spot in the starting five. He’s strong enough to defend wings, but at 6-foot-4 and 34 years old, there are unavoidable limitations to what Gordon can accomplish on that end of the floor. The Suns are already spread thin as far as perimeter defense goes. Swapping a player like Okogie or Bates-Diop for a smaller guard might be one step too far for Frank Vogel, who has built his NBA reputation on elite defenses.