Phoenix Suns 2016 Year in Review September through December
2016 has been a rough year for the Phoenix Suns. From disgruntled players to a mid-season coaching change; from losing streaks to exciting draft picks; from hope for the present to hope for the future; the Phoenix Suns have taken us on a roller coaster ride these past twelve months. Let us now dig into the events of the past year, and take a sneak peak into the future.
September through December
September
Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
September was a slow one for the Suns as the team geared up for the start of Earl Watson’s first training camp with the team.
Aside from a couple of very minor moves, signing and waiving players that were never expected to make the opening day roster, the Suns roster and coaching staff remained static and very few rumors of any relevance could be found attached to the franchise. It appeared that the team would be as it was in September, when the season began.
The team opened training camp in Flagstaff on September 27 to great fanfare, the 20th time that the franchise has held camp in Flagstaff. The three new rookies, each of whom had their moments of impressiveness in the Summer League, were now ready to shine with the real Phoenix Suns.
Training Camp broke on October 1 with a live scrimmage that ended in a tie. One particularly entertaining moment came when the rookies were forced to dress in costumes at half court and sing for the crowd prior to the last day’s scrimmage.
October (Record that Month = 0-4 / Record in the Calendar Year = 11-40)
April 2, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Archie Goodwin (20) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Suns 107-106. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Following the scrimmage the team came back down the hill and on October 3, opened their six-game preseason schedule against the intentionally depleted (and for the first time since 1996, Tim Duncan-less) San Antonio Spurs.
The Suns won that game and went on to finish the preseason 4-2 with several very impressive games from Devin Booker and the team seemingly coming together.
However, the Suns did make one shocking move.
Only two days before the start of the regular season, former first round pick Archie Goodwin, a player who was never really able to break into the Suns’ rotation, was waived, bringing the Suns’ opening day roster down to 15. There were reports additional reports that stated that the Suns had tried to trade Archie Goodwin, although no takers were found.
Goodwin would later sign with the New Orleans Pelicans, but would be waived after only a few games and has yet to find a new NBA home.
The Regular Season kicked off in Phoenix on October 26 against the Sacramento Kings, although the celebration before the game would be far more entertaining than the game itself.
Down 11 after one and 19 at halftime, the Suns rookies led a fierce second half comeback that brought the team to within ten points with nine minutes remaining. Unfortunately the Suns lost steam and the King pulled away late, winning going away, 113-94.
In their next two games against more talented Oklahoma City and Golden State, the Suns held tough although the better teams won in the end. Phoenix ended a winless October on Halloween Night with a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
November (6-9 / 17-49)
Nov 2, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) makes the game winning three point basket in front of Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) during overtime at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeated the Trail Blazers 118-115. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
November began with consecutive thrilling overtime victories over the Portland Trailblazers and the New Orleans Pelicans. To date, that is the only stretch this season in which the Suns have won multiple games in a row.
From the New Orleans game throughout the month, the Suns followed up a win with either two or three consecutive losses, a pattern that repeated itself on four consecutive occasions.
November was an opportunity for the team to play on several big nights. On November 2, the same night as Game 7 of the MLB World Series in which the Chicago Cubs won their first title since the Teddy Roosevelt administration, the Suns won on an Eric Bledsoe buzzer beating three, defeating the aforementioned Trailblazers 118-115 in OT. Then on Election Night less than a week later, the Suns and Blazers met again, but this time it was the Blazers who won by three points, 124-121.
The Suns didn’t play on Thanksgiving, but they did have a game on the nights before and after, winning in Orlando 92-87, the lowest total they have allowed all season (and one of only four games this season that they have held an opponent under 100 points), but losing at home against the Timberwolves 85-98, the lowest point total the Suns have had this season to date.
November’s 6-9 record was the best record for a single month of the calendar year.
December (4-10 / 21-59)
Mar 2, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (3) dribbles the ball past Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
In early December, Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr made national news by advocating marijuana use by athletes. Kerr referenced his two failed attempts at using marijuana to help relieve his own back pain, but noted that most NBA players use the drug and that the United States should move on and get over the generally Conservative position the country has taken on the drug.
Earl Watson was questioned on his own opinion and took a differing approach from Kerr noting that he believes the idea of national legalization can be a “slippery slope,” and league-wide legalization might encourage use by kids who may find themselves in trouble when attempting to work their way through college and the professional ranks.
On the court the Suns began December by losing eight of their first 10, losing their eight games by an average of 12.6 points. While they have won two out of their last four (prior to their final game of the calendar year against the Utah Jazz), the Suns have never looked consistent on the court and are currently on pace to equal their regular season record from last season, 23-59.
Off the court, the biggest and most persistent rumor to face the Phoenix Suns is the possibility that they might trade Brandon Knight, something that seems to be more of an inevitability than an if. While the possible trade of Knight will not take place in 2016, moving him will put a cap on the past year as the expectation is now a daily thought in Phoenix Suns’ fandom’s general psyche.
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