The Suns haven't had much continuity in camp. With both F Amare Stoudemire and G Leandro Barbosa missing the first two weeks and needing a third to get back in shape, coach Terry Porter hasn't had a full deck to work with. The interesting battle in the starting lineup is at small forward, where Porter must decide if he's going to stick with F Grant Hill or go with the more active player and better rebounder in Matt Barnes.
Look for Porter to eventually start Barnes: (1) to have Hill on the floor to help rookie Goran Dragic with ballhandling duties when Steve Nash is resting, and (2) to have a fresher Hill in the floor down the stretch of close games. ANALYZING STARTERS:
G Steve Nash remains one of the top point guards in the league but he turns 35 in February and getting away from Mike D'Antoni's frantic style should be good for him. Porter wants to get Nash off the ball some and take more advantage of his 50 percent shooting from 3-point range, but the Suns still need him to run the show. The new defensive philosophy designed to push the ball toward the baseline instead of funneling to the middle should help hide his deficiencies in that area.
G Raja Bell will be asked to do more on the run offensively and not just plant himself behind the 3-point line to space the floor. He was becoming more and more disenchanted wit his offense role last season and the change in approach may help. He's 32 now, but the Suns have other far more pressing age issues. His days of playing 40 minutes a night should be over with Leandro Barbosa now playing more minutes at shooting guard. With Shaquille O'Neal, Matt Barnes, Robin Lopez and Louis Amundson around and Porter constantly preaching defense, he won't feel like the only stopper on the floor anymore.
F Matt Barnes was a steal for the Suns at the veteran's minimum salary and will plug a lot of potential holes for the Suns. He earned the starting spot over Grant Hill because he's a good rebounder and a defender who can guard four positions. He's an energy guy who will give Nash another target on the break, and he's another 3-point shooter to keep offensive spacing wide. He has been a hard worker and impressive player in camp, although his shooting has been inconsistent.
F Amare Stoudemire finally appears ready to walks the talk and become a top-flight defender, but the Suns will settle for not being as big a liability. If he had switched off on Tim Duncan in Game 1 of the Spurs series -- when Duncan hit a 3-pointer to send the game to overtime -- the playoff might have gone another way. But now at the power forward spot he relishes, Stoudemire should dominate offensively, enjoy having O'Neal and Lopez around to do the dirty work and get plenty of jumpers and layups out of the set offense.
C Shaquille O'Neal was a signal that the Suns were trying to win on the fly after obtaining him for Shawn Marion in February, but the transition was too overwhelming. O'Neal should feel more at home in a structured offense and appear to be moving well in camp. The Suns have him penciled in to miss a third of the season (25-30 games) to match his recent track record, but feel the big man still has a lot to offer on both ends of the floor.
ANALYZING KEY RESERVES:
G Leandro Barbosa, the Sixth Man of the Year in 2006-07, took a step backward last year offensively while his always-suspect defense made him a liability at times. He won't play much at the point unless injuries dictate and Porter's "run only on stops" edict will force him to play a more conventional style. Will that mute what he does best?
G Goran Dragic was paid $4 million by the Suns to come over right away, and they feel they have their point guard of the future in the 22-year-old Slovenian. Problem is, the Suns need a solid backup to Nash right now and Dragic has a lot to learn in a short period of time if he's to fulfill that role. Seems more comfortable in the open floor than running plays, which could be another worry.
F Grant Hill was missed him greatly in the playoffs, but it was a stretch to count on him given his injury history. For that reason, he will be a bench player for the first time after starting 697 of his previous 705 NBA games. His playmaking skills will be useful to help young Goran Dragic guide the offense. Hill has a great midrange game, is as smart as any player in the game and is a guy you want on the floor in clutch spots.
F Boris Diaw is a key player for the Suns who has to start living up to his $9 million per year price tag. There is room for Diaw to develop as a playmaker and solid inside presence. He won't be asked to play as much in the post with Lopez on the scene, and has a chance to exploit matchups with his ballhandling ability.
C Robin Lopez still has a lot of learning to do, but he gives the team size, quickness, defense, shot-blocking and an underrated scoring punch. He's going to be in a lot of foul trouble early, but he's smart and will learn quickly. As Steve Nash said, "I wish we'd had Robin last year."
MEDICAL WATCH:
--F Amare Stoudemire (ankle, torn iris) is back from the injuries and in conditioning mode. He's expected to be ready for the Oct. 29 opener in San Antonio.
--G Steve Nash (sprained ankle) suffered a mild right ankle sprain against Atlanta on Oct. 15, and turned the ankle again in practice five days later, but will be ready for the opener.
G Alando Tucker (hamstring) missed a preseason game and a few days of practice, which isn't good for a guy on the outside looking in at the rotation. He is day-to-day.
G Leandro Barbosa (family illness) spent two weeks with his seriously-ill mother in Brazil while Porter was putting in his offensive and defensive principles. He is also behind in conditioning, but should be up to speed both physically and mentally by the opener.
