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Phoenix Suns Weekly: The Chemistry Must Be Respected

By Gerald Bourguet

Jan 8, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic (1) congratulates guard Gerald Green (14) during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The Suns defeated the Timberwolves 104-103. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic (1) congratulates guard Gerald Green (14) during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The Suns defeated the Timberwolves 104-103. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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After The Deadline:

Suns Weekly
Dec 13, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe controls the ball in the second half against the Sacramento Kings at US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Kings 116-107. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Either way, the reasoning doesn’t matter as much to fans as what they should expect from this Suns team with 27 games left and a still-injured Eric Bledsoe on the sidelines. By not bringing in a star with a roster shakeup, this young and surprising team gets a chance to finish what it started and shock the basketball world by making the postseason. Suns fans would like to see a first round upset and rightfully so, but the truth is that just making the postseason would be a monumental achievement for a team that was expected to be competing for the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft a few months ago.

Chemistry is an underrated element in the NBA and although bringing in a Kevin Love, Carmelo Anthony or Luol Deng would’ve excited the fans and possibly elevated the Suns into real Western contention, it also could’ve gone a much worse direction. The Suns wouldn’t have been able to get away with just Okafor’s expirings and a couple of draft picks for such an offer and that could’ve meant splitting up the Morris twins or giving up a young asset like Alex Len or Archie Goodwin.

We can’t forget that McDonough has the whole offseason to make deals if he so chooses as well. The value of the Suns’ 2014 picks could increase or decrease before the draft depending on how the Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans finish their seasons, but have faith, Suns supporters. Any GM that can not only win two major trades (the Eric Bledsoe trade and the Luis Scola trade) but also find the right coach to turn the whole city of Phoenix into believers is the kind of person you have to trust in times like these.

Standing pat at the deadline isn’t necessarily the popular decision, but since no one but McDonough knows what was/wasn’t offered, it’s safe to assume the right deal didn’t present itself. Rather than forcing an ill-advised trade for Pau Gasol or making a move just to do something with those assets, McDonough opted for a more patient path. Even without Bledsoe, Dragic and company are competitive night in and night out and considering that Emeka Okafor is the EXACT kind of interior defender the Suns need to take the next step, who knows? Maybe waiting for Bledsoe and Okafor to get healthy is the right decision. The chemistry must be respected. “Uneventful” as that may seem.

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