As many teams are currently in the NBA, the Phoenix Suns are
getting hit hard by COVID-19. Head coach Monty Williams returned
out of league protocols on Tuesday to guide the Suns to an
impressive victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, and Deandre
Ayton, Jae Crowder JaVale McGee have been cleared for return after
reconditioning. (Only Abdel Nader and Landry Shamet remain in the
protocols.)
In the absence of Ayton and McGee, two key cogs to the Suns’
success to kick off the 2021-22 campaign, an interesting debate is
bubbling up to the surface out of nowhere. ESPN's Adrian
Wojnarowski just reported that Phoenix signed veteran center
Bismack Biyombo for the rest of the season, and immediately, he’s
become a valuable piece thriving alongside Chris Paul in
pick-and-roll situations.
After not playing in an NBA game for 10 months, Biyombo was
picked up in free agency, and has averaged 13.5 points, 6.0
rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals in only 23.6
minutes over the Suns’ last two games against the Charlotte Hornets
and New Orleans Pelicans. Biyombo has been a necessary piece who
adds size and toughness down low, and he’s also been such a
synergistic fit alongside Paul and Devin Booker, who constantly set
him up around the rim for spoon-fed opportunities. Biyombo is 11 of
13 from the field.
At the same time, 2020 No. 10 overall pick Jalen Smith has
finally entered the Suns’ rotation to see the first legitimate
minutes of his career. With Ayton and McGee sidelined, Smith has
become Phoenix’s starting center, averaging 15.2 points in only
24.2 minutes over four games with an actual rotation spot. Smith
has displayed what made him so
enticing during the pre-draft process: rim-rolling ability,
floor-spacing acumen and underrated rim protection value. The
question now becomes what happens once Ayton and McGee return after
exiting league health and safety protocols.
Phoenix stunningly declined Smith’s third-year team option, a
rarity for a lottery pick. The
Suns let it be known that they seemingly didn’t believe in Smith’s
long-term potential to find a niche role in their win-now
trajectory alongside Paul and one of the best young cores in the
league. It was an open secret that Phoenix was shopping Smith this
offseason to find a win-now piece to bolster an already strong
bench unit. Thaddeus Young was the one name who continued to be
floated out there in potential trade talks revolving around Smith,
but nothing came to fruition.
Now, with Smith showing true on-court value, he’s suddenly
boosted a nonexistent market around the NBA. There’s a plausible
scenario where Phoenix can ship off Smith’s expiring contract plus
Dario Saric, who is out for the season with a torn ACL, to find a
real jolt for the team's rotation.
Biyombo’s instant impact also plays a factor here, which is a
stunning development. Hypothetically, Biyombo could be a better fit
for what the Suns need in case of emergency behind Ayton and McGee
as a third big. He not only provides much-needed size and
versatility around the rim, but he’s a veteran voice in the locker
room as well.
Smith and Biyombo will be redundant when the Suns are back to
full health. The question that now looms is what general manager
James Jones will do with Smith. Will he side with the former
lottery pick who is finally flashing real long-term value, or is
Biyombo’s veteran presence and cheaper salary enough at the back of
the Suns’ bench?
With COVID issues ravaging rosters throughout the Association,
Phoenix has stumbled into a unique situation which will now loom
large over the next month. Whatever the Suns decide to do, it could
have a championship-like shockwave. Whether it be acquiring a
veteran like Young from San Antonio or another piece with even more
win-now value (could Jerami Grant now become an actual option if
the Suns are willing to trade promising young wing Cameron
Johnson?), Phoenix now has moved its way up the proverbial ladder
for most intriguing teams before the trade deadline.
All of the sudden, the Suns now have a big man predicament
they’re more than happy to be dealing with.