The Phoenix Suns did not have a single point guard that logged meaningful minutes on their team last season, and they ended up getting swept in the first round.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!It is very rare that you see this, especially on a team with as much star power as the Suns have with Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant. Phoenix preached a multi ball-handler attack most of the season because of the playmaking abilities of these three stars.
However, there was a report that came out after the season that coach Frank Vogel wanted a point guard, but the Suns front office declined. Eleven days after the Suns were swept, Vogel was fired after just one season with the team.
Two days later, the Suns hired two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Budenholzer to take Vogel’s place at the helm.
Budenholzer has coached stars before in his 10 years as a head coach, but has really never had a dominant point guard. His two main point guards were Jeff Teague on the Atlanta Hawks, who he coached from 2013-18, and Jrue Holiday on the Milwaukee Bucks, who he coached from 2018-2023.
He addressed his stance on the Suns needing a point guard after his introductory press conference today.
“There’s no doubt that we need to look at the whole roster and talk about point guard, I’m sure it’s a hot button here,” Budenholzer said. “Whether it’s with you guys, the media, the players, front office, we need to think about it. And we need to be able to play without one. We probably need to be able to have one. We need to be versatile. We need to be able to play different ways, bigger, smaller.
“I think the point guard position has a place, and we’re going to talk about it and figure it out. But I just know we’re going to need to be able to play lots of different ways, including without a point guard.”
New #Suns coach Mike Budenholzer on if the team needs a point guard pic.twitter.com/L8UXw18mpc
— Burn City Suns Talk ????️ (@BurnCitySuns) May 18, 2024
Earlier, Budenholzer, who signed to a reported 5-year deal worth over $50 million, described how much input he thinks he will have on the roster with owner Mat Ishbia, CEO Josh Bartelstein and general manager/ president of basketball operations James Jones. Budenholzer served as president of basketball operations for the Hawks from 2015-17.
“(In the conversations I’ve had), I genuinely felt they wanted my thoughts, (and) they cared about how I felt about the team,” Budenholzer said. “It’s all of our decisions, and so I’m just happy to have a seat at the table to feel like my voice will be heard. And at the same (time), I need to listen and learn about the team. James has put together a hell of a team, Josh and Mat, what they think, and together collaboratively, make great decisions. The more smart people we get at the table, the more we listen to each other, the more we learn from each other. That’s how we’re going to continue to build an even better team, better roster.”
The Suns will have to find a way to get a point guard if they choose to do so by way of trade or signing, which could leave them with limited options.
Phoenix is projected to have the highest payroll in the NBA next season at $209 million. Because of this, the Suns will be operating over the second-tax apron next season, which is projected to be $190 million.
In this threshold, Phoenix is unable to sign free agents outside of the Suns to anything other than veteran minimum contracts. In terms of trades, the Suns will not be able to take in more salary than they send out, include cash in deals, aggregate contracts or use a preexisting trade exception.
Another option for the Suns is their draft picks. The Suns will be picking 22nd overall this summer in a draft that has been heralded as one of the worst in a long time. On the day of the first round of the draft (June 26), the Suns are able to trade both the No. 22 pick as well as their 2031 first-round pick, but not before then.
We will see what the Suns end up deciding on this front.
Mike Budenholzer tears up at opportunity to coach his hometown Suns
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, exclusive content, and access to our seasonal magazines! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
