As the Phoenix Suns secure free agency meetings with Blake Griffin and Paul Millsap, it’s time to examine the debate with some pros and cons.
According to Arizona Sports‘ John Gambadoro, the Phoenix Suns plan to meet with star power forwards Blake Griffin and Paul Millsap at the start of free agency this weekend.
The question is, what impact would signing one of these established talents have on the current youth movement? To sort it all out, HoopsHabit‘s Gerald Bourguet and Sports360AZ‘s Greg Esposito decided to have a conversation about the pros and cons.
Gerald Bourguet: It’s finally here, Greg. The moment that Phoenix Suns fans from 2014 have been waiting for is finally here! With the news that the Suns are meeting with Griffin and Millsap this weekend and that max contracts could be on the table, I have to ask: Is there any reaction more natural than “just a couple years too late”?
Greg Esposito: Yes, yes there is. It’s, “huh?”
For the last year we’ve been sold on a vision of youth and building for a championship campaign in 2020 (apparently the Suns are the Democratic party). But signing Paul Millsap in particular spits in the face of this. At 32, the Hawks’ power forward fits Phoenix about as well as Oliver Miller in the ESPN Magazine Body Issue.
All Milsap does is make you likely to finish 10th in the West instead of 15th and does nothing to get you to your ultimate goal of winning a championship.
Blake Griffin, on the other hand, could make some sense. He’s only 28 and is a smart, diverse talent. Health is his biggest question mark but if there ever was a training staff who could get him back to an elite level, it’s Aaron Nelson and the Training Staff Mafia. It all comes down to if you think Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender‘s natural position is power forward. Everything we’ve heard seems to suggest they don’t.
Valley of the Suns
Bourguet: I think most Suns fans would agree that Millsap fits the makeup of this team far less than Griffin. He’s one of the most underrated defenders in the league and I’m sure he’d be a great locker room leader for a young group, but a four-year deal would be paying him through his age 36 season. No thanks.
Griffin, on the other hand, is a more interesting case. When healthy, he’s a top-10 player in the league. He’s one of the NBA’s best passing bigs, and for all the outdated “he takes too many jump shots!” critiques, he’s actually capable of spreading the floor to the midrange. Since the Suns seem intent on playing a seven-footer like Bender on the wing, and since Master of NBA Comparisons Earl Watson is dead-set on Marquese Chriss being this team’s Draymond Green, Griffin could fit at the 4 without taking too many minutes away from the youngsters.
Here’s my main problem with signing the Flyin’ Lion though: You don’t sign a star player like that who’s still in his prime unless you’re planning on making more moves. We’ve seen Ryan McDonough try and build through the middle over and over again, and every time it’s failed.
So if the Suns get Griffin to do more than babysit, what’s the next step? Taking a chance on a Paul George rental, all while hoping Eric Bledsoe continues to stay healthy and that Devin Booker and Josh Jackson make massive leaps? Because unless that team makes the conference finals, it’s hard to see George wanting to re-sign next summer…and then we get the lovely scenario where another potential franchise player spurns Phoenix for the Lakers. Blech.
Am I being too much of a downer here, or is there a better alternative to that scenario?
Espo: Shhhh… I’m going to let you in on the dark dark secret about the NBA and the Suns. It’s a business.
Only one team takes home the Larry O’Brien trophy from the bar at the end of the night and the rest get to go home alone in defeat. The reason you sign Griffin is to simply make you “good enough” to compete until your real window opens in a few years. Signing a big name and getting into playoff contention keeps Booker happy and gets the young guys valuable experience. Oh, and it gives the causual fan that hasn’t bought into McD’s value menu youth movement something to be excited about.
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I’m fine with adding a Griffin as long as it doesn’t lead to dealing the young core for another aging star. It’s actually the best of both worlds. You have done your tanking, accumulated the core of the future and now you get a star that can help you now while your not-ready-for-prime-time players get minutes to grow.
As long as you get creative with how to get Bender and Chriss on the floor together, I’m all for it.
Plus, Blake could even play some point forward where he is the facilitator. I am intrigued by that as Bled could play a little more off ball and your offense gets a little more dynamic.
The Bled-Blake dynamic is an interesting one in this situation. They played together at the beginning of Bled’s career with the Los Angeles Clippers. Have to wonder how the relationship is and if he helps recruit him to Phoenix?
Bourguet: Griffin as point forward would be fun, especially since Bledsoe — for all his strong suits — is not quite the facilitator this team needs. By himself, Blake would be a fun addition, and Lord knows the Suns are a franchise that’s been off the map since Steve Nash left. Landing a big-name free agent for the first time since, well, Steve Nash, would be a victory in and of itself.
Here’s the other part I’m struggling with though: What reason does Griffin have to be interested in signing with Phoenix? Devin Booker, Josh Jackson and the rest of the young core are intriguing, and as you mention, Bledsoe’s time with the Clippers could be a factor, but this might be Griffin’s last major payday as an in-his-prime superstar.
Did his time with the Clippers and all those devastating playoff defeats sour him that much on the prospect of joining a legitimate contender? Is resistance futile? As we saw this year, the Golden State Warriors’ reign of terror isn’t going away anytime soon, and by the time Phoenix’s young core was ready to contend for the Western belt, Griffin’s best days would be behind him.
That’d make it hard for the Suns to sell Griffin on joining this team if they have no intentions of making other big moves — even if letting the young guys could grow while getting a taste of winning would be what’s best for the franchise.
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To me, this smells a bit like Griffin’s camp using the Suns as leverage to get the max deal he wants from the Clippers.
Espo: It’s one of two things. Either Blake really believes the Suns training staff can extend his career in a way the Clippers and other training staffs can’t, or he wants to dance with the Suns in hopes of making the one he really wants to be with, the Clippers, jealous and make them overreact.
Either way the Suns get a meeting with a top free agent. But I am getting more sick of Phoenix being everyone’s second choice than I am of 110 degree heat.
Bourguet: Like the heat, that unfortunately seems to come with the territory. I’d love to see the Suns pursue front-loaded, short-term deals for guys who wouldn’t crowd the cap sheet but might actually address areas of need, such as a backup 2-guard (Tony Allen, Ben McLemore), insurance at center (Dewayne Dedmon, Willie Reed) or even a more high-profile restricted free agent to at least force another team’s hand in matching an offer sheet (Nerlens Noel, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope).
Instead, Suns fans can look forward to the thrill of chasing star free agents that don’t necessarily fit, getting excited enough to start rationalizing it when it feels like it actually could happen, and then feeling the familiar sting of finishing second in yet another free agency sweepstakes. Here’s to a lovely summer of that same old 110-degree weather!
Next: Phoenix Suns - 5 potential free agency targets
Espo: Trust #TheTimeline my friend. Trust #TheTimeline.