5. Chandler Rounding Into Form
When the Suns signed Tyson Chandler to a four-year, $52 million extension, it was a power move to entice LaMarcus Aldridge. Though the secret signing was a pleasant surprise to Aldridge, he eventually chose the San Antonio Spurs, leaving Phoenix with a 33-year-old center to provide veteran leadership, rim protection and rebounding.
So far, that signing has looked like a massive overpay, but after dealing with a hamstring injury that lingered even after the seven-footer returned to the floor, Chandler’s starting to look more like the player the Suns envisioned when they first made him an offer.
Though Chandler is only averaging 5.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per game on the season, he’s reached the 20-rebound threshold in each of the last two contests, making him the first player in franchise history to do so. Against the Hawks Saturday, he tied the franchise high for rebounds in a single game (27) and set a new record for most offensive rebounds by a Sun (13).
His final rebound was perhaps the most crucial of the game: an offensive tip-in that gave Phoenix a two-point lead with 24 seconds left. Chandler only scored 13 points, but his 27 rebounds and five assists gave him an eye-popping stat line that fit more closely in line with what the Suns were hoping for when they first signed him.
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Chandler’s situation in Phoenix hasn’t gone according to plan from his perspective either. A former NBA champion and Defensive Player of the Year certainly wasn’t anticipating a lost season like this when he was brought on to mentor all these younger players. But Chandler says his approach to the season has changed as needed.
“I just told myself I’m gonna get out there and control what I can control,” he said, specifically mentioning defense, rebounding and just playing hard to set an example as the main areas he’s focusing on.
This signing hasn’t worked out as planned for either side, and two monster rebounding nights don’t make up for the uninspiring start to the year. But even if the season is already lost, it’s been encouraging to see Tyson Chandler making good on his contract, or at the very least, showing that he still has something left in the tank when healthy.
Next: No. 4