9 “Reclamation Projects” the Phoenix Suns should target

The Phoenix Suns will need to be creative with limited flexibility.

Great teams find and develop talent who have failed in other situations. The Phoenix Suns have their back against the wall this summer as they look to improve their roster in creative ways.

The Indiana Pacers are a great example of taking swings that have worked out quite well.

Take a look at what they did with T.J. McConnell, Aaron Nesmith, and Obi Toppin, for example. Those guys were all taken for granted at one point of their careers. Now? They are key pieces to a team one win away from an NBA Championship.

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Obi Toppin was traded from New York to the Pacers in July of 2023 for two future second-round draft picks. T.J. McConnell signed a modest 2-year, $7 million deal and was viewed as an afterthought backup PG at best. Aaron Nesmith was a “throw-in” from Boston to Indiana after the Celtics took Nesmith 14th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Nesmith struggled to get on the court, often being benched in favor of Romeo Langford (who’s currently out of basketball entirely). In two seasons, Nesmith averaged 4.2 PPG in 12.7 minutes of play for Boston.

Boston traded Nesmith, along with several other young role players/fillers, plus a 2023 first-round pick, to the Pacers for Malcolm Brogdon. Now, he (Nesmith) has become a key piece on this finals team and looks to be a prominent rotation piece for years to come.

So what can the Suns do to kickstart their process of finding diamonds in the rough? It will not happen overnight, but they need to identify these opportunities more often and take some swings.

The Candidates

I took to X/Twitter for some crowdsourcing. The options feel limited, because well, they kinda are. Use your imagination and bear with me here!

Goga Bitadze does not exactly fall into this category since he’s been a proven, productive big in Orlando. However, he could become an instant breakout candidate in a larger, more consistent role.

Orlando has plenty of size and multiple centers, but admittedly, this feels like wishful thinking. Grasyon Allen felt like a nice match for Orlando until the Desmond Bane trade went down. So yes, not a project, but more of a “let’s snatch this guy and give him 28-32 minutes a night.”

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Precious Achiuwa is another name that came up, and I’m okay with that. Not as a solution as a starting big, but to bring off the bench for energy alongside adding another big man, whether through FA or the draft. The more playable options, the better.

Tre Mann may be the toughest to acquire since he is a restricted free agent. After a promising start (averaging 14.1 points, 3 assists, and 2.9 rebounds) in 13 games as a reserve, Mann suffered a season-ending back injury. The talent is undeniably there as an offensive flamethrower; he just needs to stay healthy and put it together for a full season in a larger role.

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Bright Side’s Bruce Veliz added a couple of names in as well that I’d be on board with as low-cost swings: Marvin Bagley and Dalano Banton.

Marvin Bagley has become an NBA journeyman after coming into the league with aspirations to become a star. He needs to find a permanent home, and what better place to do it than his old stomping grounds in Arizona?

He’s shown some flashes and is still young enough to make taking a swing on him as a reserve big worth it.

Dalano Banton is another player who has shown some intriguing things on the court for extended stretches. He has size, versatility, and an ability to get to the rim and finish strong. He would be a welcome addition with the upside to become a key rotation piece for years to come.

Trendon Watford comes to mind. He’s the classic “the idea of him is better than the production,” but he has some size and has shown he can produce when given opportunities. I think there’s some real upside for him to make an impact to shred that narrative above.

Could another change of scenery be what he needs to break through?

Matisse Thybulle can do elite things defensively — we all know this. Will he ever be able to shoot or score consistently? Probably not.

If you want a kickstart towards changing your identity, who better to add to the second/third string as a depth piece than a defensive specialist like Thybulle? Honorable mention to his Portland teammate, Duop Reath. Another depth target with something to prove.

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Cam Reddish has shown flashes over the years, and despite being an afterthought for most, he’s still just 25 years old somehow. I would take a swing at him with the intent that he’s on the third string entering training camp with a chip on his shoulder to earn a rotation spot.

We also have to give one last shout to Sandro Mamukelashvili, who I suspect the Spurs will look to retain. If not, the Suns should absolutely pursue him.

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Who do you want the Suns to bring in that is flying under the radar? Let us know in the comments!

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