Phoenix Suns: Biggest strengths and weaknesses for 2017-18

Weakness No. 2: Generating good looks

Low assist totals and a high volume of turnovers are not the only reasons Phoenix’s offense struggled. By and large, the Suns struggled to create good looks due to poor 3-point shooting and an overall a lack of emphasis/execution on creating good catch-and-shoot looks.

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Last season, the Suns ranked 27th in 3-point efficiency at a paltry 33.2 percent. Some of this has to do with guys like Bledsoe, Warren, Chriss, Ulis, Brandon Knight and even Bender simply being average or below-average long range shooters at this point in their careers. Even Booker, the team’s pegged 3-point specialist, only shot 36.3 percent from downtown.

However, some of those players’ 3-point percentages might be a bit higher if the offense afforded them easier looks from beyond the arc. Phoenix’s lack of playmaking and assist numbers come into play here, but more important is this little factoid: Per NBA.com, the offense only provided 20.5 catch-and-shoot points per game, which ranked dead last in the association.

On catch-and-shoot looks, the Suns shot 35.5 percent as a team, which ranked 29th. Their 33.7 percent conversion rate on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers ranked dead last, as did their 48.1 effective field goal percentage on catch-and-shoot looks.

There’s much, much more to an NBA offense than simple catch-and-shoot looks, but if the Suns are at the bottom of the league in assists, 3-point percentage, turnovers AND catch-and-shoot opportunities, it’s pretty clear that fast-paced offense isn’t generating the right kinds of looks in a pace-and-space league.