It's time for the Suns to give Bol Bol a real chance in the rotation

The Phoenix Suns have hardly been whole this season. Through 33 games, Bradley Beal, their marquee summer acquisition, has played all of nine games, and their big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Beal have played a grand total of 65 minutes together. For a team built around three stars making a combined $130.1 million, the three stars actually have to play together to make everything work. 

After Durant, Booker, and Beal, the Suns’ next highest earner is Jusuf Nurkic at $16.8 million, followed by Grayson Allen at $8.9 million, Nassir Little at $6.2 million, and Eric Gordon at $3.1 million. The rest of the Suns’ roster is populated by an army of minimum signings, but their least-used reserve of the season might be one of their best — Bol Bol. 

Bol Bol deserves more minutes

Bol Bol is not some burgeoning All-Star or even an uncut gem, but he is one of the few minimum signings on the Suns with real impact upside as a reserve. Bol has featured in nine games this season, and across his first eight games, he netted a total of 19 minutes, but in his ninth game, he was finally given an extended run, and well, he ran with it. 

In 20 minutes, he scored 11 points on 66.7 percent shooting and grabbed nine rebounds with an on-court plus/minus of plus-10. On a per-minute basis, Bol played like a star, and throughout his career, he has been remarkably consistent on a per-36-minute basis. 

Players that average 15.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per 36 minutes on 61.7 percent 2-point shooting don’t exactly grow on trees, and they seldom are the least used player on a team. The only thing that has held Bol back throughout his career has been an utter lack of game time, but just last season, he proved his worth when given an actual run of games. 

Averaging 21.5 minutes per game for the Orlando Magic, Bol averaged 9.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game while maintaining excellent efficiency on 2-point attempts. While his 3-point shooting has been poor, he is a willing shooter for a player listed at 7-foot-3, and his ability to put the ball on the deck at his size and finish around the rim is rare. 

Why the Suns need more Bol Bol

The Suns don’t need Bol Bol to be a starter, a sixth man, a seventh man, or even an eighth man, but it is ridiculous they haven’t even entertained the idea of him having a real role. Jusuf Nurkic and Drew Eubanks, the Suns’ most used frontcourt players, were the center rotation for the Portland Trail Blazers last season, you know, the team that finished with the 27th-ranked defense. 

While Bol Bol hasn’t been trusted to play center in the NBA, his ability to block and alter shots is exceptional. His career block percentage of 5.4 percent would go a long way in bolstering the Suns’ 15th-ranked defense, and his ability to finish around the basket well outpaces both Nurkic and Eubanks. 

Frank Vogel has long gotten the most out of his centers and is considered a defensive genius. But anchoring a defense with two poor defensive centers without giving an exceptional shot blocker some run is borderline malpractice. Bol won’t make the Suns the best defense in the league, but he can help keep the score in check while the Suns’ big three hydrates. 

There’s a role for Bol Bol on the Suns

The Orlando Magic got the most out of Bol’s length by deploying him in a zone where his poor perimeter defense couldn’t be targetted, and his length played up. The Suns could get incredibly creative using both Bol and Durant in zone coverages to engulf shooters through sheer length. With Durant’s mobility, the Suns could even play him, Bol, and Nurkic in lineups together. 

On the offensive side, Bol’s lack of 3-point shooting is a bit of a concern, but he is nearly unstoppable around the rim. For as great a passer as Nurkic is out of the short role, his ability to finish at the basket is poor for a center. With Bol playing off of one or three All-Stars, his lack of 3-point shooting won’t be a huge concern, and his rim finishing could play up a level. Which is a scary thought for a career 87 percent shooter around the rim. 

Bol Bol is an imperfect player, but he has real value when used strategically. The Suns have three stars, a few average to below-average starting caliber players, and a bunch of guys on minimum contracts for a reason. Bol isn’t going to be a massive difference-maker, but he has enough talent to warrant consistent minutes. Few players with his single-game upside feature as infrequently as he does, and it’s about time Frank Vogel unleashes Bol Bol.