Phoenix Suns: 5 potential targets in 2019 NBA free agency

5. Cory Joseph

An underwhelming option, to be sure, but one that needs to be covered since A) multiple reports have linked Cory Joseph to the Suns already and B) he makes sense as a fallback option should Phoenix strike out elsewhere.

According to both Arizona Sports‘ John Gambadoro and The Athletic‘s Shams Charania, CoJo is one target the Suns will consider in free agency. While he really tops out as a second string point guard on a good team, or a third-stringer on a really good team, the Suns won’t have to worry about that issue for awhile.

While he’d be little more than a stopgap option, Joseph is a respected and intelligent eight-year veteran who’s made the playoffs every single season he’s been in the league. He’s a defensive-minded guard, which would make him a helpful fit alongside Devin Booker in the backcourt.

He’s not a great 3-point shooter (32.2 percent last year, 32.7 percent for his career), but Joseph would be a stable presence who could handle the ball, take care of possessions (only 1.0 turnovers per game for his career) and facilitate for others without hindering Book’s playmaking. He’s only missed 21 games over the last six years, so his durability and defense would be an acceptable last resort.

With that being said, he’s not the long-term answer, or even the best short-term answer.

Joseph has never averaged more than the 9.3 points per game he posted in 2016-17 with the Toronto Raptors, nor has he ever bested his career-high 3.9 assists per game with the Indiana Pacers last year. He’s been a career backup, with only 95 starts in a total of 528 games and career averages of 6.5 points, 2.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game.

CoJo could help the Suns and their culture after playing for three respected, successful organizations. However, even though he’d come with a much cheaper price tag than the rest of this group, there’s a reason for that.