Phoenix Suns: Why Paul George Should Be No. 1 2014 Free Agent Target
Yahoo! Contributor Network
By Michael Dunlap | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Fri, Aug 9, 2013 4:52 PM EDT
COMMENTARY | NBA free agency in 2014 is going to be remarkable.
There are so many stars who could possibly be on the market, it feels like every team with space could grab one. LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant headline a list that looks like a future Hall of Fame induction class.
The Suns need to be aggressive and have the space to acquire a top-tier man. Is it realistic that James, Anthony or Bryant ends up in Phoenix? No. However, Paul George is more realistic, even though he is a restricted free agent.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Youth is extremely important for the rebuilding Suns. For that reason, they wouldn't want to go after any superstar that's on the backside of his career. The Phoenix faithful would riot if Bryant wore orange, and Anthony and James are simply in another class.
George is just 23 years old and has yet to enter his prime. Barring major injury, he'll just get better over the next couple of seasons. In 2012-13, he had a breakout year with averages of 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He screams superstar and will be a mainstay on the All-NBA team for years to come.
FILLING A MAJOR HOLE
The Suns have a major deficiency at the small forward position. They put a Band-Aid on it with the acquisition of Caron Butler, but he's in the last year of his deal and at 33 years of age, he will likely be gone at the end of the season.
If Eric Bledsoe develops into an athletic defensive-oriented star, he'll need to be paired with an offensive-minded teammate if the Suns want to compete for a championship someday. Markieff Morris is a power forward, so he's out. Marcus Morris isn't up to par, and those are really the only options.
UNLESS SOME LUCK ARRIVES
As we saw, the Suns are going to have to upgrade the small forward position sooner rather than later. The only thing that should prevent the Suns from offering a max contract to George would be hitting the 2014 NBA draft lottery.
Andrew Wiggins is the consensus No. 1 pick and would fit in perfectly with Phoenix. He's an uber-athletic 18-year-old that would thrive in the helter-skelter Jeff Hornacek offense. At 6 feet 8 inches, 197 pounds, he would pair with Bledsoe, Archie Goodwin, (Markieff) Morris and Alex Len to create the most athletic team in the league. The "track meet" offense would certainly be fun to watch.
FORCE THE PACERS' HAND
If it's not the Suns, it will be another team. Somebody is going to force the Pacers hand and make them decide whether they're willing to dole out major dollars to remain a force in the Eastern Conference. They've already got Roy Hibbert locked up and could conceivably re-sign George to a max deal, but they'd be handcuffed. Filling out the roster would be a challenge with next to no cap space.
The Suns need a young, athletic star and they need an offensive-minded small forward. George is all of those things and would speed up the rebuilding process considerably. The Suns may as well put in their bid now, because it's a no-brainer.
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