Phoenix Suns Should Bring Back Mirza Teletovic
The Verdict
Given the way he’s cemented his role on a team that’s seen so much roster turnover and so many players embracing new responsibilities, the stability he brings in a clearly defined role should not be overlooked. If the Suns lose him to a massive offer from a more competitive team, so be it.
But considering the way he’s thrived here in Phoenix in a set role, it might be in both parties’ best interest to bring him back, especially with the NBA’s salary cap skyrocketing to a projected $90 million this summer.
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It might not be out of the question to see Teletovic earn something in the $10-13 million range per year, and though that seems like a lot, the Suns should strongly consider biting the bullet to keep him around. After all, you can only have so many players who are still trying to learn new roles and/or grow into their games. Phoenix needs a little stability in that respect.
“I think it’s a positive role for us because we need bench scoring and most scorers want to start,” Watson said of Teletovic’s role. “Tele will do whatever we ask him to do, but I think as a coach, you have to put players where they’re most successful.
“You can’t force them to go into your vision, you have to enhance what they do and allow them to do it at their best and create ways for them to be — like a point guard, make your teammates better. That’s the perfect role for Tele.”
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Assuming the Suns aren’t in the running for this summer’s top free agents, assuming they want to be competitive next season and assuming Tele hasn’t been pretending about buying into the new culture the Suns are trying to build, Phoenix would be wise to re-sign Mirza Teletovic this summer — even if they have to overpay a little bit to do so.