How will Monte Morris help the Phoenix Suns’ Big 3?

How will Monte Morris help the Phoenix Suns’ Big 3?

Monte Morris the Phoenix Suns were able to I guess unofficially but still acquire him yesterday towards the end of our show so we got to react to it yesterday but I do think it’s worth diving back into it today more specifically or at least let’s start here with how he can impact slel slash make the big three’s jobs easier so where do you want to go with that setting expectations in a proper place okay which is that Monte Morris is not going to be the starting point guard for the Phoenix Suns which is something I have to say out loud I guess they traded for Bradley Beal and once they traded for Bradley Beal we were set with a Devon Booker Bradley Beal back court starting back court for a while now let’s say Brad has not even a year similar to last year I think people really really get on Brad for the year that he had last year and I don’t really understand why if you look at it within the context of what they should get on him for and I understand it is not being able to stay healthy that’s what it is I mean that’s where it all start let me understand if you think you’re frustrated about it Brad is more frustrated than anyone times a million if you’re even the most pissed off Suns fan in the world right now about how Brad can’t stay healthy believe me he’s more angry about it he didn’t close things out great in the playoffs either so I think like the two the main things everybody looks at weren’t great for him he had his worst game of the year at the worst time possible which was the one game in the series where they were playing well I thought that he was fine in the other three games I know people are going to throw numbers at me but I watched the games in person and watched how he stepped up to defending Anthony Edwards and did a pretty fine job you’ll remember how a didn’t really explode in that series that much Brad was the guy guarding him and we don’t talk about his defense that much he was fine the point being if Brad plays like he did last year but does it consistently meaning he just stays healthy the suns are going to have a really really good player next year there were four five different times in the middle of the season when we saw him find his role locate it and then he just got got hurt and had to get that Rhythm back again and then Frank vogle like makes him the point guard as in like you’re not just the third banana you have a real role on this team wouldn’t you know it was a horrible idea that went really wrong because for as much as people want to talk about how the use of Devin Booker is not best as him as a point guard guess what he’s their point guard I’m sorry he’s the best at it that they have on their roster including Monte Morris at breaking down a defense and putting pressure on it and making a decision from there would you ideally be using Booker as a scorer first as opposed to a playmaker yes but he at least have the option you have the option and he has the upside to still be one of those primary initiators one of those four to five guys in the league that can break down a defense at every possession that’s where I thought we were headed last year and then this just it was a toxic mess all over the place where he couldn’t get settled so let’s start there Monte Morris is not starting he is not going to command the majority of the ball even when he’s on the floor what he he knows that coming in he sign signed up for this he knows what he’s signing up for there’s there’s no way Monte Morris is like I’m going to go I’m going to go be the guy for the Phoenix Suns it’s more for Suns fans who have expected the point guard to come in and be their Savior and hearing about Monte Morris’s assist a turnover ratio and hearing about what he does on the floor and expecting this to be a guy who plays 25 plus minutes a game it’s it’s just not going to happen with that said what he is going to provide in his small burst is going to be extremely effective because the point in the game that I really wanted to see the Suns focus on the most in improving this offseason is when Devon Booker goes to the bench it’s been a tale as old as time when he goes to rest the suns are pretty much screwed and things go arai I thought that Brad was going to be capable and maybe in a full year he will be of being the point guard quote unquote in those minutes when book was off the floor and look when those guys are on the floor together Brad’s bringing up the ball a fair bit I understand but this offense has always looked at its best when it’s booked being that guy so I expect him to be that guy next year I expect Mike buher to watch back last year I expect him to have all these conversations and figure out that is that guy he probably knew that before he even took the job I mean who did he coach against in the 2021 finals and saw nearly beat his team single-handedly pretty familiar with Jay Crowder and Deon Booker were the only two guys playing at their level or above it in that entire finals I’m including DeAndre and I’m including Mel Bridges cam Johnson cam pay and so on with all of that when Booker comes off the floor Beal did not handle those minutes well particularly in January to the point where when I was coming on you guys’ show I was saying they probably need to back a point guard because those minutes are looking too shaky have someone come in there now you have that guy so Monte Morris can come in for Devon Booker or he can come in even earlier maybe he’s the guy that comes in for Bradley Beal and Brad checks out at the six five minute Mark somewhere around there and you can get book a little bit more off the ball if you want to but more importantly when Brad’s out there without book and maybe without Kevin for certain stretches I think you can set him up for Success more as opposed to going from hey you’re barely touching the ball to now you’re doing everything and this I think what Frank was thinking when he was like I kind of need you to be the point guard now I’m going to tell everyone you’re the point guard he’s the point guard it was like having a pinch hitter in a baseball game where like you’re going to sit there for seven Innings and then you’re going to bat for everybody like you’re just going to go one through nine you’re going to be the batter for everybody um something that we talked about a lot when you were on the show in that part of the season and we can get back into this in a little bit but the um the idea that if they added a point guard it might Force Bradley Beal to be like a bench guy or like the Sixth Man or whatever they’ve done this in a way where that’s not the case right I mean now you still have him like you said he’s your backup in the sense that Booker’s the starter not like you’re going to go get another starter you’ve you’ve got your guy now but uh but you’ve done it in a way where Bradley Beal doesn’t have to be a sixth man which was something you brought up a few times when we talked to you about it during the the course of the Season thanks for watching wolf and Luke tap to see more and click the button in the middle to subscribe to Arizona Sports

With the Phoenix Suns seemingly getting the point guard they were searching for in Monte Morris, Luke Lapinski and Kellan Olson give their thoughts on how Morris will fit into the team’s plans for next season.

Video: Jeremy Schnell and Ed Cole/Arizona Sports
Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

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