With the NBA season almost upon us, point guard Lonzo Ball was quick to let the world know that he remains ready for another opportunity when it presents itself. The Phoenix Suns might make sense down the road.
Ball an intriguing fit alongside Devin Booker
Ball remains unsigned right now, while the Suns have a full roster after pivoting to Duop Reath in the aftermath of starting center Mark Williams being lost for the foreseeable future to a shoulder injury. Reath will survive training camp, at which point the franchise will likelyhave to cut Jamaree Bouyea or Haywood Highsmith.
Whenever Williams returns (and assuming he can stay healthy), Reath will likely depart. With an open spot, Ball would make a ton of sense in the backcourt alongside Devin Booker. A point guard in the truest form, he would automatically be the best fit alongside the franchise cornerstone since they moved on from Chris Paul.
At this stage, it is fair to point out the massive risk associated with placing so much belief in a pair of often-injured players in Ball and Williams in trying to help the Suns contend right now with Booker.
But Ball would be a flyer like both Bouyea and Highsmith, who could be signed for the minimum and would come off the bench. Jalen Green might enter training camp having to earn his starting spot in The Valley all over again, and the arrival of Ball rightly wouldn't trouble him.
What the Suns would then be getting is one of the best playmakers in the league who is closer to Jordan Goodwin defensively than Collin Gillespie. If healthy, it is easier to see how Head Coach Jordan Ott could use him on both ends of the court, and that's not currently true of Green.
Considering Ball highlights spot Suns find themselves
Given the franchise's frightening lack of future assets, these are the kind of inventive, around the fringes moves they must consider in order to win with Booker now. If that's not the goal, then they might as well blow it up next summer.
Wasting two important roster spots on players with such poor injury histories is problematic, although two-way guard Pat Spencer is nice insurance to have if they do sign Ball. The front office must consider all avenues, and Ball wants another shot in the league.
At the veteran's minimum, why not?
