Phoenix Suns: Weighing Both Sides Of The Tyson Chandler Deal

Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough loves to surprise everyone. His 2013 Suns won 48 games while tanking. When the Suns had a chance to improve last offseason, he signed a third point guard. His beginning to the 2015 offseason was no different, when a few hours in, this plot twist was revealed.

This proves once again that trying to project McDonough is like trying to predict the stock market. The Suns had not been connected to Tyson Chandler until this deal was reported. This deal was hard to process at first. In fact, it still is, which is why I’m breaking down both sides of why it could be considered good and bad before making a final prognosis.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: NBA Finals History: Ranking The Last 50 Champions

The Suns needed defense, rebounding, and leadership last season. Chandler provides all three. He can be an interior defensive anchor for the Suns, who ranked 28th in opponent points in the paint per game.

Chandler averaged 10.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game for the Mavericks last year. As primarily a pick-and-roll player on offense, Chandler will be able to prosper with the Suns, who run a fast-paced, volume-shooting offense. Given that the Suns have little in the area of post-up players, Chandler should find space to roll to the rim relatively easily in Phoenix.

More from Phoenix Suns

• 3 NBA superstars with legacies on the line heading into 2023–24
• Ranking the 4 riskiest boom-or-bust NBA teams in 2023–24
• 5 NBA players facing do-or-die 2023–2024 seasons
• Report: Phoenix is considering signing two former lottery picks
• Phoenix’s questionable Deandre Ayton strategy is worth the risk

This allows the Suns to maximize his ability, similar to what Dallas did. Chandler was sixth in the league in points per possession and the pick-and-roll roll man, per NBA.com. With Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight as his ball-handlers, Chandler should be able to see success on the offensive end.

Chandler is also an astute rebounder, and still shows great athleticism at 33. Chandler was seventh in rebound percentage among players who played 15 minutes or more per game, according to NBA.com. The Suns were 16th in total rebounds last season, and a step up in that area would open up more opportunities for the offense, especially for fastbreak points.

Finally, Chandler’s defensive contributions are great for the Suns, who despite impressive development from second-year center Alex Len, need better rim protection. Chandler’s defensive rating of 102.1 last season is unimpressive, but the Mavericks were also a poor defensive team with no high level defender.

Eric Bledsoe and P.J. Tucker are both solid perimeter defenders who will help Chandler shoulder the load on the defensive end.

Ultimately, the Suns went big-game hunting for free agents, but quietly completed a sure-thing transaction that fills their immediate needs as a team. Chandler fits the Suns bucket list to the letter.

On to the negative aspects of the deal and some responses to them. The first is the contract itself. Chandler is 33 years old, and giving him a four-year, $52 million deal may seem foolish, especially given that his competence as an NBA player relies on his athletic ability.

Both arguments against this are facile and cliché but fundamentally true. First, the coming rise in the salary cap means that Chandler’s deal will be around 10 percent on the cap on the back end. That’s not so bad. We live in a world where Khris Middleton (who, for the record, I am a big fan of) just got a $70 million contract for averaging 13.4 points per game.

Live Feed

Valley of the Suns

Everyone’s getting overpaid. Everything we know about value is different.

The reputation of the Suns training staff for helping aging players extend their careers, such as Steve Nash and Grant Hill, is encouraging for the length of the deal. A 37-year-old Tyson Chandler is far less of a liability with high level training and care.

Next, the issue of inhibiting Alex Len’s development. The question here is whether it is better to have a slightly better team or have a slightly worse team with Len having more opportunities for growth. However, at 33, Chandler is not going to be relied upon for big minutes. Len will still get about the same amount of time on the floor, if not a little more.

He’ll also be able to learn under a new mentor with nine playoff appearances and a championship to his name.

Lastly, there’s the argument put forward that bringing on Chandler does nothing but push the Suns a little higher up the ladder, but not far enough to matter. Geoff Allen of Bright Side of the Sun summed up this feeling:

"If we do not get Aldridge, there is no seemingly strong reason for the signing of Chandler. It may push us over the hump, but that just means an early playoff exit and continued mediocrity."

The reality is that the Suns were not good enough to tempt star players as they were. Praying that young players will eventually get good is a far less trustworthy route of improvement than signing decent players and making incremental improvements. At least the young guys get some playoff reps that will help when the Suns are ready to contend.

The Suns are unlikely to make the playoffs next season, just by virtue of the fact that the current eight teams are still locked in. Being one step closer is a better option, if only for the fans, than saying it’s either tank or contend with no middle ground.

All of the aforementioned concerns are valid, but they aren’t reasons to hate this deal.The Suns are better over the next few years for signing Chandler. He provides several of the skills the Suns lacked last season, and he makes the Suns better equipped to become a great team when a superstar does decide to join them.

There are associated risks with this move, but the Suns are taking incrementally smart steps to become better, hitting solid singles and doubles while waiting for a home run.

Next: 50 Greatest NBA Players Of The 1970s

More from Hoops Habit

• The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout