It’s not always easy to keep perspective. Like when the 410 lb. orca whale purchasing $30-worth of Burger King for himself double-checks with the cashier that the soda he was served is Diet. But we here at Razzball know how difficult maintaining perspective can be, especially when you’re drunk and trying to sketch moving objects. So from now until the start of the season, we’re bringing you the 2010 Fantasy Team Previews, which will focus on each NBA team in hopes of painting a clearer fantasy picture. Who’s starting over who? Who might surprise you and who might make you want to hurl yourself off a bridge in a few months. Enjoy! Next up – The Phoenix Suns
For nearly a decade the Suns have been one of the most fun-to-watch teams in the NBA, but also one of the best teams. Steve Nash and the Suns have never been able to get over the Kobe hump, and even though they lost Amar’e, 2011 could be their best team ever.
Nash makes everyone better. He turns mediocre players (Jared Dudley, Channing Frye, Grant Hill) into above average players, and can turn very good players into great players (Amar’e, Joe Johnson, Shawn Marion), and will likely do the same for Hedo Turkoglu. Phoenix, the Lakers, and the Thunder will be battling for the top seed in the West all season long and is another in a long line of story lines for the upcoming 2011 NBA season.
Gained – Hedo Turkoglu, Josh Childress, Hakim Warrick
Lost – Louis Amundson, Leandro Barbosa, Amar’e Stoudemire
Probable Depth Chart:
PG – Steve Nash, Goran Dragic
SG – Jason Richardson, Josh Childress
SF – Hedo Turkoglu, Grant Hill, Earl Clark
PF – Channing Frye, Jared Dudley, Gani Lawal
C – Robin Lopez, Dwayne Jones
D-Leaguers – Matt Janning, Zabian Dowdell
3 concerns with the Suns:
1. Is this Goran Dragic’s year?
He is ready to break out in a big way, and although it will not happen as long as he is a backup, he will start taking away some of Nash’s production. Dragic is in line for a big pay check, as his contract expires after this season, and is a big time PG prospect that is coming into his prime.
2. How will Hedo Turkoglu and Josh Childress fit in?
Seamlessly is my guess and it is because of Nash. He makes everyone better offensively.
3. Will Channing Frye and Jared Dudley have monster 3P seasons again? Yup. They should see a ton of wide open looks once again.
Fantasy disappointment in ’10: Steve Nash might see a dip in numbers because of Goran Dragic’s emergence and since the Suns have cut one MPG off Nash’s totals the last four seasons. Nash will still be very productive, but Dragic will see over 20 MPG for the first time in his career.
Biggest contributer – Hedo Turkoglu and Steve Nash. Both will have monster seasons.
Deep sleeper – Goran Dragic. He’d be a starting PG on most NBA teams, but not the Suns.
