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The 2018-19 Phoenix Suns are here to compete

By Luke Swiatek

PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 3: Tyson Chandler #4 and TJ Warren #12 of the Phoenix Suns jump for the rebound against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 3, 2017 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 3: Tyson Chandler #4 and TJ Warren #12 of the Phoenix Suns jump for the rebound against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 3, 2017 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Phoenix Suns’ offseason moves indicate that, for the first time in a while, they plan on winning some games in 2018-19.

Going into the 2018 NBA offseason, I expected the Phoenix Suns to be mostly dormant. They had a good young core, but no real chance of competing this year.

The Suns picked up Deandre Ayton and Elie Okobo in the 2018 NBA Draft, and I thought both selections were fantastic moves. Then they traded for Mikal Bridges.

I think Bridges is a fantastic player; in fact, I think he’s one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft, and his skill-set is a perfect match around Booker and Ayton. However, I can’t help but feel like he doesn’t have a high ceiling.

The NCAA champ coming out of Villanova could certainly be a very good NBA player, and I imagine he’ll wind up being somewhere between a good role player to a solid starter. I just would’ve expected a rebuilding team like the Phoenix Suns to pick guys with more star potential, even if they have lower floors.

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The two assets the Suns gave up to get Bridges — Zhaire Smith and the Miami Heat’s 2021 unprotected first round pick — are those kinds of assets. They could be busts, or they could really be something special.

I’m not saying it was a bad trade, I’m just saying that it seems to imply that the Suns had different intentions for the season than I thought.

If the Mikal Bridges trade was my first clue that I was wrong, then the Trevor Ariza signing was confirmation. If the Suns were tanking again, they wouldn’t have made a deal like this.

There’s something to be said for a rebuilding team signing some veterans for their experience and wisdom. The Process-era Philadelphia 76ers signed a washed-up Elton Brand, while the Dallas Mavericks have kept J.J. Barea around.

Veterans like these are generally cheap and not very good, but the Suns spent $15 million on a guy who just last year started for the team with the best record in basketball.

Like Bridges, Trevor Ariza is a good 3-and-D player who will fit well and make the team better. The signing makes a ton of sense on the court, but it’s the off-court implications about the direction of the franchise that I find so interesting.

I don’t know if the Phoenix Suns really think they can make the playoffs this year. The Western Conference is loaded, and it certainly won’t be easy.

It would have been easy for the Phoenix Suns to kick the can down the road another year. They could have just let their young guys play, and waited for the West to hopefully get weaker at some point.

Next. 2018 NBA free agency tracker - Grades for every deal so far. dark

Instead, they’re taking the path of most resistance, which may or may not be wise, but is definitely commendable. We’ll see if it works, but at least we’ll get to watch some better basketball in the short-term.

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