Though they had a good offseason, head coach Mike Budenholzer still has several challenging questions to address before the Phoenix Suns play in the NBA in 2019.
Notwithstanding the constraints of playing in the second tier, the Phoenix Suns have enjoyed a subdued but productive offseason thus far, strengthening their roster. They want to add some talent to the back half of their rotation by combining the veteran’s minimum with the NBA Draft.
Though the team will probably not be able to say the same about former backup big Drew Eubanks, the organization will miss Eric Gordon. Yet after a poor 2023–24 playoff run, supporters have been kept happy by the addition of a point guard in Monte Morris, an improvement at the backup five position in Mason Plumlee, and two talented rookies in Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro.
Though Mike Budenholzer, the head coach, has some tough questions to address before the new season starts, so now is the time to put in the effort.
Certain people in the rotation will benefit from Coach Bud’s distinct demeanor and approach from that of former starting pitcher Frank Vogel. It seems likely that Devin Booker’s position will shift from being that of a facilitator, which he was forced to play last season, to that of the exceptional scorer we have seen in the past. That being said, it is crucial how coach Budenholzer handles everything else.
Bol’s career There will always be doubts about what Bol can actually provide to this Suns team as he enters his sixth season since he is still a mysterious player. Fans and teammates alike undoubtedly like him, as last year was the first time he had ever established consistency in a role for a team.
Bol has additional advantages in that his head coach is more of an offensive strategist, which should maximize his special abilities. It gets murkier when you look past the excellent coach-player combination. Because Bol is not a conventional center, Plumlee or starting player Jusuf Nurkic will not be passing the ball to him.
Bol Bol. pic.twitter.com/drw1oCzbvP
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) July 7, 2024
Ighodaro and Dunn might both snatch some of his valuable minutes because they can step in and assist straight away on defense, as he is still an excellent defender. The addition of Royce O’Neale and Josh Okogie, who are both back, forces Bol out of this roster’s second five.
Still, there is that persistent suspicion that, if you are playing Bolt huge minutes, you are either not playing at your best or are perhaps attempting something unusual to win a few minutes of play. It will be interesting to watch how coach Bud employs a player who returned expecting a part with this group, given that Bol seemingly will not be playing for South Sudan again—at the Olympics, no less.