Even with little spending money to work with, the Phoenix Suns found a way to get significantly better on the first day of the NBA free agency period.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!James Jones and Mat Ishbia helped round out the Suns bench by signing a total of 6 players including 1 name that will most likely be the Suns’ fifth starter.
Devin Booker
Bradley Beal
Josh Okogie
Kevin Durant
Deandre Ayton
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Cam Payne
Jordan Goodwin
Damion Lee
Keita Bates-Diop
Yuta Watanabe
Chimezie Metu
Drew EubanksIs this Suns roster good enough to contend for a title? pic.twitter.com/xbz5EgSqk7
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 30, 2023
The Suns managed to sign Yuta Watanabe, Keita Bates-Diop, Drew Eubanks, and Chimezie Metu, and re-sign Josh Okogie and Damion Lee.
Jones found a way to get better at every aspect off the bench. He filled out a defensive anchor in Okogie and Bates-Diop who’s going to be a significant player alongside Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Deandre Ayton.
He filled out three-point specialists in Watanabe and Lee who both finished top 10 in three-point percentage last year.
He filled out a stretch center in Eubanks who plays good defense and can knock down three-pointers. Last year he shot 39% from three which is an upgrade for the Suns off the bench.
He signed a guy in Metu who’s a Darius Bazley replacement. Like Bazley, Metu is most likely a project who excels at rebounding a being a solid rim protector with his ability to block shots and finish around the rim.
The free agency period is just getting started as the Suns still have early-bird rights on guys like Torrey Craig and Bismack Biyombo. We’ll see what tomorrow brings as they still have two more roster spots to fill up.
