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Phoenix Suns And The Ryan McDonough Era

By Simon Smith

Oct 31, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) and guard Isaiah Thomas (3) high five in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at US Airways Center. The Suns won 94 - 89. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 31, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) and guard Isaiah Thomas (3) high five in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at US Airways Center. The Suns won 94 - 89. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Start Of The Rot

The Suns experimented with the dual point-guard back court during the 2013-14 season when McDonough acquired Eric Bledsoe shortly after his arrival. Although the Suns had a remarkably successful season, the Dragic-Bledsoe partnership was never fully tested.

Bledsoe played just 43 games for the season due to injury, with Dragic excelling particularly in his absence.

Hence it was a surprise to many when McDonough decided to attack the new season with a three-headed monster at the point guard spot.

In acquiring restricted free agent Isaiah Thomas in a sign-and-trade with the Sacramento Kings, the Suns found themselves with three starting calibre point guards on their roster.

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    • But it didn’t take long for this to unravel.

    Coming off the best season of his career, Dragic soon publicly aired his dissatisfaction with the new arrangement and requested a trade. He was soon thereafter traded to the Miami Heat.

    The same day Dragic was traded, McDonough and the Suns decided to move on from Thomas and acquired a new point guard, Brandon Knight, in the process.

    It may work on a fantasy team, but trying to integrate three high-calibre point guards in an NBA setting is almost a recipe for disaster. After all, there is only one ball and asking point guards to spend large amounts of time playing off the ball is an extremely hard sell.

    And even if they were to buy in, you’re still using players out of position for large chunks of the season.

    One only has to look at this triumvirate’s performances this current season to see how such an arrangement is highly unlikely to prosper.

    The Thomas acquisition was essentially the start of the rot that continues to the present day.

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