Phoenix Suns: 2016-17 First Quarter Grades

Nov 27, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) and Brandon Knight against the Denver Nuggets at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Nuggets defeated the Suns 118-114. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) and Brandon Knight against the Denver Nuggets at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Nuggets defeated the Suns 118-114. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Phoenix Suns
Nov 27, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Dragan Bender (left), center Alex Len (center) and forward Marquese Chriss sit on the bench against the Denver Nuggets at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Nuggets defeated the Suns 118-114. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The Rookies

This grade might be a bit unfair, but to no one’s surprise, two teenagers and a 5’10” third string point guard haven’t exactly blown the doors down on the Rookie of the Year race. It’s not their fault the minutes aren’t flowing yet, but for the No. 4 and No. 8 overall picks, the growing pains have still been noticeable.

This shouldn’t be surprising, since both Chriss and Bender were pegged as raw, long-term projects with high ceilings. Its still extremely early in their careers, but the next step in their progression will be earning enough minutes to really start learning the game at the NBA level.

Chriss is the starter by name, but not by responsibility. He’s only averaging 15.9 minutes per game to Dudley’s 24.8 and P.J. Tucker‘s 24.3, which makes his flashes of athleticism and perimeter touch that much more tantalizing.

Chriss is getting fairly significant playing time for a 19-year-old rookie, and Watson should be commended for bumping him into the starting rotation so early on, but Chriss ranking 12th among all rookies in scoring at 6.4 points per game is less impressive when you consider how underwhelming this draft class has been so far.

As for Bender, the minutes have been even more scarce, with the 19-year-old Croatian averaging 3.0 points and 1.6 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game. He’s been a DNP-CD far too many times for a rebuilding team with a 6-16 record, but with T.J. Warren out, he’s gotten more chances than earlier in the season.

After putting up 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting and leading a bench charge in the Suns’ season opener, it’s been disappointing to see Bender’s minutes trail off. Phoenix’s insistence that he’s a 3 is similarly frustrating, but hopefully Watson finds a way to incorporate this multifaceted defender into his rotation once Warren returns from his “minor head injury.”

As for Tyler Ulis, he’s often been an injection of positive energy for the Suns when he’s gotten his opportunities off the bench, but those instances have been rare. Ulis is averaging 3.6 points, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals in just 10.9 minutes per game.

Even in limited minutes, it’s worth noting that Bender (+9 in 206 total minutes), Ulis (+15 in 142 minutes) and Alan Williams (+19 in 81 minutes) are the only rotation players on the roster with a positive plus/minus.

That would undoubtedly change with more minutes, but for long-term projects like the three Suns rookies, their limitations have largely been self-imposed. Their opportunities should improve as the losses continue to mount, but for now, the rookies’ learning experiences are coming in fits and spasms.

Grade: C-