Isaiah Thomas on Phoenix Suns: ‘I Want To Start’
Isaiah Thomas of the Phoenix Suns talked about his desire to start after a 100-88 win over Flamengo
When the Phoenix Suns brought in Isaiah Thomas from the Sacramento Kings, a lot of people scratched their heads. Thomas is a quality guard who could start for most teams in the league — but the Suns already have Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic firmly entrenched at the starting spots. It seemed all but certain that Thomas would be a sixth man, but that’s not exactly what he wants.
After an uninspiring 100-88 victory over visiting Flamengo, the Suns point guard was asked about his happiness with his role and if he was told any specifics as to what it would be:
"They haven’t said anything. I want to start. But, whatever’s best for the team. We’ve got three of the best guards in the league."
Head coach Jeff Hornacek gave us a glimpse into what the rotation should look like, despite the notable injuries to Alex Len and Anthony Tolliver. Dragic, Bledsoe and Thomas will be used interchangably and although there’s only two starting spots, each player will get a significant amount of minutes.
A year ago, Bledsoe and Dragic combined for 68 minutes, which would leave 28 minutes for Thomas (who played 34.7 himself). It looks like a position (and a luxury) that Hornacek can play it by ear, with the hot hand getting the lion’s share of the minutes on any given night. Take a look at the three he has to choose from, with their per-game averages from last season.
| Player | Age | G | MP | FG% | 3P% | 2P% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Bledsoe | 24 | 43 | 32.9 | .477 | .357 | .517 | .772 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 3.3 | 2.3 | 17.7 |
| Goran Dragic | 27 | 76 | 35.1 | .505 | .408 | .542 | .760 | 3.2 | 5.9 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 20.3 |
| Isaiah Thomas | 24 | 72 | 34.7 | .453 | .349 | .504 | .850 | 2.9 | 6.3 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 20.3 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/9/2014.
The fact that Thomas wants to start isn’t a bad thing and shouldn’t cause any dissent. If there are players in that lockerroom who don’t feel that way, that would be a problem. If Hornacek wanted to evenly spread the minutes out, they’d be able to play 32 minutes each, which might provide some major benefits.
If the team can push harder and harder during a shorter amount of time, that’s only a bonus. One of the major advantages the Suns will have over their opponents this year is their speed. They have three different guards who can all handle the ball, push the pace and put pressure on the defense.
I want to start. — Isaiah Thomas
Allowing a guy like Bledsoe to be more aggressive defensively will also be a major plus. A year ago, if Dragic or Bledsoe got into foul trouble, they had to fall back on Ish Smith to pick up the slack. No disrespect to Smith, but he’s no Thomas.
Last night against Flamengo was a good example of how Thomas can be used to continue pushing the pace and can be paired with Gerald Green to provide solid offense off the bench. Thomas scored 18 points with four assists and three steals and just as importantly — he got to the foul line seven times (making six).
Thomas scored all 18 of his points in the second half and was a plus-13 during his 12:35 on the court. By contrast, Dragic (minus-10) and Bledsoe (minus-9) just couldn’t get things going. Ideally, the starters will be able to produce but if not, this is what we should expect from Thomas — a spark plug that can score in bunches to keep the Suns in games, or in this case, can get them back in the game.
The Suns escaped with a win — which is all that really matters — and Thomas expressed his desire to be a starter in this league. That’s not reason to worry, it’s a reason for celebration. All 15 players on the active roster should be that confident and motivated to be put in a starting spot.