Phoenix Suns: 3 backup big men to target in 2021 NBA Free Agency

Although they won the opening contest, the Phoenix Suns suffered a brutal loss in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals after Dario Saric went down.

While Saric might not have been a difference-maker for the Suns throughout their playoff run up until that point, it was clear that his size would be crucial against the towering Milwaukee Bucks. Unfortunately, the injury he suffered in the first few minutes would be diagnosed as a torn ACL, obviously sidelining him for the remainder of the series. That left a gaping hole in the lineup as the team could have desperately used his size to try and slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo.

With their season now over, the Suns will have to scour the free agent market for a backup big man with the team likely to be without Saric for a large portion of next season. It will be challenging as money is tight in Phoenix, but for a team that is coming off a trip to the NBA Finals, they will look to be aggressive.

With that being said, here are three free agents the Suns should target to bolster their frontcourt rotation for next season.

The Phoenix Suns could target Robin Lopez in 2021 NBA Free Agency

Playing the first four seasons of his career from 2008-2012 with Phoenix, Robin Lopez knows what it is like to play in the desert. All these years later, they could potentially look to pursue a reunion as they need to add some size to their rotation.

While the former No. 15 overall pick has been a starter for most of his lengthy career, he has fully embraced a backup center role over the past two seasons. Appearing in brief stints with the Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Wizards, Lopez’s numbers were far from the flashiest as he averaged 7.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. However, he still proved to be a solid rotational piece off the bench when either team needed a sizeable presence on the court, which is precisely what Phoenix is searching for.

When the Suns are playing someone like the Bucks and need to throw some personnel on the floor to slow down Antetokounmpo, Lopez would give them the necessary size. Although he might not be a formidable presence down low defensively, the big man can certainly hold his own given his hulking stature. Offensively, Lopez’s biggest weakness is his inability to space the floor, but he will get a few baskets close to the rim on occasion.

For the Suns, this would be a low-risk move to pursue in free agency as Lopez is not the flashiest name, but he fits the billing for a position of need. The big man will likely not be seeking a lucrative deal either and could be well within Phoenix’s price range as they look for low-cost targets to retool this offseason.