Who should the Suns consider for their expanded roster in Orlando?

Jordan Bell

After struggling to carve out a legitimate role for himself in the league, Jordan Bell was waived earlier on in the season, but he is logically a great option for the Suns.

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There was once a time when Bell was a promising upstart, especially when he capitalized as the Golden State Warrior’s X-Factor off the bench. But since then, he’s struggled to find a rhythm in the league, being traded around the Western Conference before being waived. He’s certainly got the potential, it’s just that he offers almost nothing on the offensive end compared to other free agents.

But his defense? Oh my. Bell proved to be one of the most overlooked small-ball centers in the league in terms of blocking the ball, and there’s a reason Basketball-Reference calls him Eraser and Swatterboy. Bell truly is a gem on the defensive end and is certainly a decent enough shot-blocker to earn him some minutes.

Now these areas of play, are what the Suns ultimately want in a Power Forward. Kudos, since Bell fits their criteria as a defensive-minded wing who can help out in the paint. The main issue is that Bell would want a bit of money, and the Suns certainly won’t want to keep him around especially since they need to lock down Deandre Ayton soon. Another issue is that the Suns would be taking a hit on the shooting end and Bell certainly doesn’t help. He does have a slashing presence at the forward position, but that seems to be about it on the offensive end.

But, it’s worth noting that the Suns need a forward to compensate for Oubre’s surgery rehab, and Bell is one of them. He could develop a starting or sixth-man role for the Suns, and during the Orlando restart, he’s something of a gem for them to sign.

For the better, the Suns could sign Bell for the restart, even if they may lose an offensive option.