STAYING: Eric Bledsoe, Archie Goodwin, Brandon Knight, Alex Len, Markieff Morris, PJ Tucker and TJ Warren.
ADDED: Devin Booker (Kentucky), Tyson Chandler (Dallas), Cory Jefferson (Brooklyn), Jon Leuer (Memphis), Ronnie Price (LA Lakers), Henry Sims (Philadelphia), Mirza Teletovic (Brooklyn) and Sonny Weems (CSKA Moscow).
GONE: Earl Barron (Atlanta), Reggie Bullock (Detroit), Danny Granger (Detroit), Gerald Green (Miami), Jerel McNeal (Aris Thessaloniki), Marcus Morris (Detroit), Marcus Thornton (Houston) and Brandan Wright (Memphis).
STRENGTHS: Young and explosive backcourt duo with Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight … If they learn to play together, they can do a lot of damage … This being Phoenix, you know it’s going to be a dangerous team in the open court … They were third in fast-break points in 2014-15 … Markieff Morris and Mirza Teletovic are really nice stretch fours … Offensively, Morris has the tools to become an elite NBA power forward … Phenomenal mid-range shooter … In Tyson Chandler, the Suns have a big man with the ability to anchor the team’s defense … Rebounding should improve too … He could also be a veteran leader for a club full of young players.
WEAKNESSES: Not enough star power … Not much depth … Their top perimeter players are not long-range threats … Bledsoe, Knight and PJ Tucker shot a combined 33.1 percent from three last season … Ball movement needs an awful lot of improvement … Many guys with a shoot-first mentality … Must cut down turnovers … They are thin at small forward … Is Morris really going to be a happy camper for a full season? … Is everybody on the same page?
PREDICTION: 5th in the Pacific Division / 12th in the Western Conference.
SALARIES:
