Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA Power Rankings: 2014-15 Western Conference Projections

By Shane Young

May 29, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (left) and San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) react during the second half in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
May 29, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (left) and San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) react during the second half in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 17
Next
NBA Power Rankings
Apr 4, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic (1) is called for a technical foul during the first quarter of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /

9.  Phoenix Suns — 47-35

Hardest month:  April  (.556)

Weakest month:  November (.449)

Back-to-backs:  18

Eric Bledsoe and the Suns are setting an All-Time low here.  Four-star free agents — restricted or not — aren’t supposed to be available during Labor Day weekend.  Caught in the power struggle of a max contract and standard one-year offer sheet, Bledsoe’s time with the Suns could be coming to an end before they truly started.

If he signs the restricted free agent offer sheet the Suns could give him, he would be receiving less than $4 million next season and would be slated to hit unrestricted free agency next summer.  If it comes to that, how can Phoenix expect him to return?  They already expressed their displeasure with Bledsoe’s large request, which was five years, $80 million.

He’s worth that much guaranteed money for a franchise, although he went through the torn meniscus and only played 43 games during the year.  Why?  During the month of April, when Phoenix was gunning and taking no prisoners for an eight seed push, Bledsoe led the team in scoring, averaging 19.5 points per game, added to 4.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds, while recording a True Shooting Percentage of 62.5 percent.

The loss of Channing Frye, and ideal stretch forward that gives Phoenix an identity similar to what they had under Mike D’Antoni, pains this roster unless the Morris twins make an even greater leap.  Last season, it was Markieff Morris who torched members of bottom-ranked defenses and wasn’t afraid to set a career-high in attempts per game.

Frye, the nine-year veteran, shot 45 percent from 16-23 feet away from the basket, and 55.5 percent of his field goal attempts came from beyond the arc.

Above any addition or subtraction, bringing the talented (but short) Isaiah Thomas along via sign-and-trade was the grandest steal of the offseason.  That excludes Cleveland’s miracle, which was multiplied by two.  Thomas thrived in pick-and-roll action with DeMarcus Cousins last season, and proved his skill of finishing at the rim over any defender, regardless of height and how much they tried to stay with with on drives.

As a backup (if Bledsoe re-signs), Thomas will need either of the Morris twins or underdeveloped Miles Plumlee to be as solid at screen-setting, timing, and in the mid-range game, or their use of the high post won’t be as effective as it was in Sacramento.

Without Bledsoe missing half a year, there would be zero surprises seeing Phoenix in a playoff series come April.  A defensive stopper in the middle is something Ryan McDonough would’ve wanted this summer, and rising in the top 10 of sturdy defenses is the only way they get over the hump and knock of one the “special eight” off their pedestal.