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Phoenix Suns: Who Belongs In Their Backcourt For The Future?

By Gerald Bourguet

Dec 20, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (3) during the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (3) during the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Phoenix Suns
Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia) poses for a photo with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number twenty-seven overall pick to the Phoenix Suns in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Bogdan Bogdanovic

The Good:

As the 27th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Bogdan Bogdanovic has spent the last two seasons playing for Fenerbahce Ulker in Turkey.

The 23-year-old shooting guard has benefitted from the extra seasoning that comes with playing professional ball overseas, averaging 14.8 points per game on .556/.506/.708 shooting splits in 20 Turkish BSL games and 11.0 points per game on .413/.409/.814 shooting splits in 20 Euroleague games.

This latest season has been his best yet, with the two-time Euroleague Rising Star Award winner earning MVP honors en route to Fenerbahce’s Turkish Cup championship. In the final game, he scored a team-high 21 points and drilled the game-winning three-pointer with 2.4 seconds remaining. If he can bring more perimeter shooting off the bench, the Suns will have another nice young piece.

The Bad:

Success playing overseas is one thing, but we all know the NBA is a different animal. Like most European players who come stateside, there will be an adjustment period for Bogdanovic, especially when it comes to the physical toll of playing so many games and traveling so much.

There’s also the obvious problem that between Knight, Booker and Goodwin, the Suns have plenty of options at the 2, which could prevent Double Bogdan from seeing much action in his rookie season.

More hoops habit: NBA: Ranking The League's Top 24-Year-Olds

The Verdict: Shelve Him

The Suns know what they have in Archie Goodwin, and they shouldn’t move him before they feel the same about Bogdanovic. But with Goodwin failing to establish himself in this lost season, Phoenix should add Bogdanovic and keep him close until there are ample opportunities to showcase his abilities, especially if the Suns are unable to change their status as a rebuilding team over the summer.

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