Phoenix Suns: Top 5 Free Agency Targets

Mar 1, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Marvin Williams (2) goes up for a shot against Phoenix Suns forward Alex Len (21) in the first half at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Marvin Williams (2) goes up for a shot against Phoenix Suns forward Alex Len (21) in the first half at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Phoenix Suns
Apr 23, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Marvin Williams (2) reacts after scoring during the second half in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win 96-80. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Marvin Williams

Harrison Barnes has been a popular name in conjunction with the Suns, but if Phoenix wants a former UNC Tar Heel who’s failed to live up to his superstar billing in the NBA, why not go with a cheaper option like Marvin Williams?

That might sound like a harsh introduction, even for a player like Williams who has never met expectations as the former No. 2 pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. But pre-draft expectations aside, Williams is still a very useful player in this league, and one Phoenix could use moving forward.

Heading into the 2016-17 season, the Suns have to use their cap space somewhere to reach the $84.6 million salary floor. With only $52.6 million in guaranteed contracts on the books for next season (excluding P.J. Tucker’s non-guaranteed deal and imminent rookie contracts for Bender, Chriss and Tyler Ulis), the Suns do have some room to splurge.

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  • Marvin Williams is hardly the kind of sexy free agent most fans would want to see it used on, and some would even point out that Barnes’ age (24) would make him a better — albeit far more costly — target. But Williams brings a lot of the qualities the Suns are looking for at power forward.

    The Suns still need some depth at the 4, even if his arrival would worry some fans about the rookies’ minutes. Coming off one of the best seasons of his career in which he averaged 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game on 40.2 percent shooting from downtown, Williams is a 30-year-old stretch-4 who could receive an offer somewhere in the three-year, $50 million range, per ESPN’s Zach Lowe.

    That may seem like an awful lot to swallow, but with the salary cap jumping to a projected $107 million in 2017-18, a deal like that really wouldn’t be terrible for a Suns team whose biggest progress will come from internal development anyway.

    In the meantime, Phoenix needs to spend its cap space somewhere, and bringing in a positive, savvy veteran like Williams will help those youngsters grow — especially Bender and Chriss, who could learn a lot from a solid stretch-4 like Williams.

    The biggest obstacle here is that the Charlotte Hornets will make re-signing Nicolas Batum and Williams their top priorities as soon as free agency begins. Lowe also speculates that given his asking price, middling and bad teams should stay away from players like this and hunt for younger upside players on shorter contracts instead.

    More hoops habit: Phoenix Suns: 2016 NBA Draft Grades

    It might be tough to pry someone like Marvin Williams away from the better suitors, but if he’s somehow available, he’d be a helpful mentor for Phoenix’s new rookies without taking too many of their minutes away.