Phoenix Suns: Getting Defensive Is Archie Goodwin’s Best Bet
When you’re a rookie in the NBA, you suck it up and don’t complain. You go to practice, you work hard and you hope to get some game action. As a second-year player, you expect to get more playing time and at the very least you hope to be able to compete for a spot in the rotation.
In the case of Archie Goodwin — the Phoenix Suns first round pick from 2013 (No. 29 overall) — he’s had to sit back and watch as general manager Ryan McDonough continues to fortify the guard spots, essentially keeping Goodwin firmly at the end of the bench.
The second-year pro out of the University of Kentucky hasn’t said much about his unhappiness until just recently, when he told Sean Deveney of Sporting News:
"“Of course it is going to be frustrating for me, because I am a competitor. I have enough confidence in myself to believe I can play right now. A lot of guys, once they get here, they sort of feel like, ‘Well, it’s OK, I will get my opportunity eventually.’ That’s not me. I feel like I could be playing right now. In that sense, it is very frustrating.I don’t know what they’re doing. Honestly, I really don’t. I guess they know what they’re doing — I can just play ball and let them make the decisions. I don’t know what the purpose is for it, but there is nothing I can do about it.If it don’t come next year, I’m not going to take it. That’s basically what it’s going to come down to. But that’s not for me to worry about, that’s for my agent to talk to those guys about.”"
The first question that comes to mind when I read a quote like that is — what has Goodwin done to show that he deserves playing time and is he correct in his assumption that he could play and be effective right now?
WHAT ARCHIE BRINGS
Goodwin is unquestionably one of the most naturally gifted athletes on the team. He’s given Gerald Green a run for his money in dunk contests during practice and don’t forget what he did to the Toronto Raptors’ Jonas Valanciunas:
In Archie’s lone season at Kentucky, he scored 14.1 points per game with 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 31.8 minutes. For an 18-year-old, those were quite impressive numbers. But, aside from the occasional highlight-worthy plays, Archie hasn’t shown the ability to perform at the top level.
He’s crushed the D-League in his multiple stints there, scoring 19.5 points with 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals in six games (five of them wins). However, even at that level, Archie hasn’t shot well (.439/.304/.545), which doesn’t bode well for him once he gets regular time against the best in the world in the NBA.
Archie did recently win the D-League Showcase Cup Championship MVP award, and as Bright Side of the Sun writer Sean Sullivan noted, Goodwin made it a point to up his defensive intensity when he couldn’t get it going offensively.
But again — that’s the D-League. That league exists for a reason, as it’s either guys not good enough to play in the NBA or young guys not ready to get quality minutes.
SIDE-BY-SIDE, ARCHIE FALLS SHORT
The problem with a team like the Suns is that they have three point guards who would all be considered to fall in the top half of the league, with Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas all demanding quality minutes.
Once you get past the fact that coach Jeff Hornacek likes to give that trio minutes at both guard spots, we have to look at the other guards who get time — specifically Gerald Green.
Comparing Green to Goodwin is a quality comparison, as both are remarkably athletic players who can make a SportsCenter Top 10 on any given night. The problem is, their skill set is somewhat redundant, with Green being the much better 3-point shooter. Neither play much defense, which leads me to my next point.
GET DEFENSIVE, ARCHIE
The recent acquisition of Reggie Bullock from the Los Angeles Clippers should have set off bells in both Green and Goodwin’s head. Coach Hornacek wants a guy who can not only knock down a 3-point shot and excel in transition, he wants a guy who can also help provide perimeter defense.
As someone who has watched every minute of the Suns this season, I can tell you that the vast majority of the time that both Green and Goodwin have spent on the defensive end have been…spotty at best.
NBA defenses don’t require an MBA to understand, but there are some basic tenets — quick, decisive rotations, not fouling jump shooters and working together with the unit. Goodwin (and Green) have often found themselves lost in rotations, swiveling their heads around to find where their man went.
Goodwin’s Draft Express scouting profile predicted that despite his athleticism, Archie’s consistency and focus were issues:
"Goodwin shows excellent potential on the defensive end – guarding three positions at the collegiate level – primarily due to his good lateral quickness and excellent length. Consistency and focus are significant issues for him at times, as they are for many freshman wings, but that he does show the ability to fight through screens and stay involved after he has been beaten speaks well to his prospects."
From speaking to coach Hornacek this season, it’s obvious that one of his biggest pet peeves is lack of focus. He’s been harping on how his team’s attention span wanes during games, helping other teams chip away at leads that should have been extended.
From Archie’s standpoint, if he wants to earn playing time, he needs to consistently bring defensive intensity and focus in practice. When he does get his opportunity in a blowout, he needs to show that he’s learned in practice and can carry out the defensive gameplan.
All of the physical gifts are there. Archie has been blessed with raw ability that few have. All he needs is an opportunity to show that. The only way to get that opportunity is to bring more than the players in front of him in the rotation. Get defensive, Archie — it’s your only chance to get time on this team.