Why Drew Eubanks wasn’t the right fit for the Phoenix Suns
all right it’s uh the news is out it’s official we reported on April 29th Drew Eubanks will not return to the sun’s neck season we reported that on April 29th it’s out there in social media and then yesterday we uh we also said that Drew EU Banks would not be back with the Phoenix Suns they were going to go in a different direction at center today it became official that Drew EU Banks has declined his option a player option for $2.6 million and will enter free agency look this the Suns want to go in a different direction to backup center now you know Drew you will Drew will have some interest Drew is a younger player got some athleticism he’s not a bad player he’s just not the right fit for Phoenix okay let me just say this Drew EU Banks is a good person and he’s a good basketball player but he’s not the right fit for Phoenix he led the team in plus minus on the wrong side of plus minus nobody had a worse plus minus than he did he does some things well but what he does well is what the Phoenix Suns need the Suns need a different Center a more athletic center rim protector run the floor you know lob passes they’d like to get somebody who could shoot a little bit like this is not the center the backup center they want this is not a knock on him sometimes it’s just not a fit thing he did not fit with the Phoenix Suns so when I reported in April that he wasn’t coming back the plan is that they have always just wanted a different backup center that more fits in line with what they want and you get the idea too that Mike buen holer kind of wants to shape the bench in His image because he can’t he can’t really shape the starting lineup In His Image outside of just what they want to accomplish offensively and good point Mitch good point he can he can shape the bench in His image because you’ve got the maneuverability there and you don’t with the starters and there’s a chance he brings in guys he’s familiar with like maybe guys that he coached when he was with the buck or if anybody’s left from those days when he was coach of the Hawks or he just goes with what’s available to him in the draft yesterday you talked about Baylor’s EES Mei a possibility as someone that the suns are at least looking at or potentially looking at as an option at 22 overall someone who fits the mold of what you’re describing that they want an athletic center who can provide some spacing down flow that’s right evees Mei we mentioned yesterday as a guy Lauren you got that profile that great profile that you played yesterday for EES Mei we are going to give you a player each day up until the draft that we believe the Suns will consider a 22 and will’ll eliminate some players too yesterday eliminated Kyle filipowski we do not believe the Suns will have interest in Kyle filipowski yesterday we mentioned this player as somebody we believe the Suns will consider a 22 Fourth in the Big 12 preseason Baylor which is even deeper this year the addition of Houston and Cincinnati among others Mei slithering his way head of his years watch that contest the shot the con still gets the high bounce off the glass a good drive by okono right there Mei is a rim protector yeah Bieber come out in the zone trying to slow the Bears down Dennis on the rolling me and he scores it there it is great job by Lauren putting that together EES me that was the guy we mentioned yesterday he’s a center he’s an athletic center doesn’t shoot the ball very well but he’s an athletic super freak athletic center can run up and down run like a gazelle up and down the court and block shots and rim protecting and he could switch on defense which you want you want your Center be able to switch be quick feet be able to move move out there and not get targeted so you like that about him he doesn’t have much range he’s not a really good shooter doesn’t have a lot of experience not saying he’s the guy I’m going to give you five guys who Could Be The Pick of 22 by the time I leave for vacation on Tuesday give you five guys we gave you one yesterday we’ll give you one today at 3 o’cl 3 o’cl we’ll give you one more but what the suns are going to look for is they just want a different backup center they want a backup center that is more athletic they’re trying to get more athletic they’re trying to get a guy to can go up and down the floor they’d love to have somebody that can shoot that might be hard they’d love to have somebody that could you know come out go outside and knock down some shots and draw the defense to them but definitely defensive minded somebody can give them some protection because part of the problem the Suns had defensively was dribble penetration you dribble right by Devon Booker you dribble right by Kevin Durant you dribble right by Bradley Beal you need athletic centers that could be over could come over and help someone who’s going to sacrifice his body when the player gets in but just re recognize it and get there quickly Now nurkic isn’t bad at it but he just doesn’t move move that well so he’s slower so if you get a more athletic guy you’re going to get quickness with that athleticism it’s going to help them so you know so no surprise here that Drew Eubanks is not coming back I also reported yesterday do we have that sound from yesterday Mitch yeah so in in a grouping of talking about the futures of both Eric Gordon and of Drew Eubanks you had said this yesterday now let’s talk about dreu Banks okay because that’s another guy with a player option I don’t see him coming back either I don’t and I said this earlier when vogle was the coach I said I don’t expect Gordon to come back then the coach changed I said I really don’t know I kind of got to find that out I kind of you know got to do some homework I kind of find that out at this point I don’t think that I don’t think that he’ll come back either I think there’ll be enough interest in him where somebody else will sign him CU he’s still a young player and he’s I think the end the end of this month is when he’s got it the side so I’m going to say no on Eric Gordon he’s not coming back I’m going to say it’s unlikely that Drew Eubanks comes back as well so one young player leaves and then an older veteran may or may not be out the door you’re saying that you do not Eric Gordon Eric Gordon’s not going to come back so we assume that Eric Gordon’s not going to return so what does that mean for the Suns they’re going the route of higher athleticism trying and they’re trying to redo the bench like you mentioned they’re trying to redo the bench get themselves uh you know younger more athletic look Eric Gordon is 35 years old to be 36 in December like you got to get some youth on this team like youth that could play and the other thing with Eric Gordon is that his minutes are easily replaced by Damian Lee and I’ll say that didn’t say that his minutes will easily be replaced by Damen Lee a younger version of someone who plays the same position and the serves the same role yeah that on yeah so Damen Lee will take that spot from Eric Gordon um they’re not going to draft a shooting guard I got six of them so like EU banks will be replaced by somebody outside the organization and Gordon’s going to be replaced by somebody inside the organization look for Damen Lee to take the opportunities that’s going to be presented to him because of Eric Gordon being gone and look for somebody outside the organization draft re agency whatever they decide to do to be the guy that replaces Drew Eubank so no more Eubanks uh Eric Gordon it’s not official yet but Eric Gordon I don’t expect Eric Gordon to be back either and the Suns will continue to try to you know redo the roster in a way that you know gives Mike buen holer look they had one of the worst bench Productions in the NBA last year one of the worst it’s got to improve it’s got to improve it’s got to be better they Eric Gordon was a good shooter and scorer but he was a Turn Style defensively couldn’t guard anybody very easy to go right by him and it caused a lot of problems for them defensively they needed to move on from Eric Gordon he was a ni was a nice fit you know for a guy that could score Off the Bench but the way Grayson Allen played it just made what what he did less of a need it made what they had enough guys that could do what Eric Gordon does so it was less of a need for him well at the same time that’s kind of the flaw of the last offseason right was what was the big thing that they decided to do in building up the team around the big three they got a lot of guys that could be put around the outside and shoot right Eric Gordon being the key piece among them but then you consider UT Watanabe he could space the floor Kates Diop and then halfway through the season the Suns completely pivoted on that strategy and tried to get some more defensive-minded Wings who could also provide a little outside shooting this time around they’re making sure that they actually have the best possible group of guys that they could go to outside of their big three and really their starting five as a whole I don’t think they’re just going to go purely for one type of scoring guy they’re going to be looking for some versatile players that they can use Off the Bench thanks for watching Burns and gambo click to see more from the guys and hit the button in the middle to subscribe so you never miss a video from Arizona Sports
Drew Eubanks will decline his $2.7 million player option to return to the Phoenix Suns for the 2024-25 season and become a free agent, reported ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday. John Gambadoro breaks down way the center wasn’t the right fit for this Suns team.
Video: Felisa Cárdenas and Jeremy Schnell/Arizona Sports
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