Phoenix Suns: 5 former players that would be useful now
By Jono Perilli
#4: Goran Dragic (2008-10, 2012-15)
This one doesn’t feel as needed as some others on the list, but you can never go wrong with a budget point guard who can provide decent scoring. Goran Dragic certainly isn’t as good as he once was, but he’s slotted himself into a nice backup point guard spot behind Kendrick Nunn apart of that surprising Miami Heat, what’s hard about him providing that same support behind Ricky Rubio.
His first tenure in Phoenix was uneventful, but he’d hit his stride in his second stint with the team, averaging 20.3 points per game in the 2013-14 season. He’d continue his underrated run in Miami, where he’d earn an All-Star nod in the 2017-18 season.
But what makes him suitable enough to take the reigns as a backup point guard?
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Well in the 54 games of the 2019-20 season, Dragic only started in one for the whole season. This season, he proved that he can go when given limited minutes, considering he average 16 points and five assists per game. Not bad for a guy many fans considered ‘Washed Up’. Throw this sixth-man oriented Dragic into a team like Phoenix, and you got yourself some fireworks.
A scoring and playmaking presence off the bench is something that’s useful for the Suns, plus he’s a veteran. Since he’s proving to be a great player heading into the twilight of his career, the Suns wouldn’t have to worry about paying the guy a ton of money. It almost seems like a perfect fit for them, and providing a well-needed presence to an average bench is logical.
It’s certainly not essential, considering how the Suns are focussing on slowly developing Elie Okobo as a point guard, but think of how successful the team could be adding a player like Dragic.