Suns: Coach Watson using preseason to experiment with different lineups.
When the Suns began scrimmaging five-on-five Thursday, coach Earl Watson had a small-ball look to his starting lineup, with Marquese Chriss at center and T.J. Warren at power forward.
It’s not a permanent change. Instead, Watson is using training camp and the preseason to experiment with lineups, even if it means moving players out of their natural positions.
The small-ball look is a reflection of today’s NBA, where traditional big men aren’t so important as athletes who can play multiple positions.
“We’re still trying to find something. We’re putting guys in different places,” Watson said. “There’s no more such thing as a traditional power forward, center, two guard. The only thing that’s traditional is point guard, who brings it up. We want to continue to put guys in different places and see what happens.”
Watson said he’s also looking at different lineups to find ways to carve out minutes for his reserves. Phoenix likely has 10 players who will see playing time, and that doesn’t include Jared Dudley or point guard Mike James, who had an impressive preseason opener against Portland.
“So many players have gotten so much better,” Watson said. “We have to figure out a way to get all the players we can playing time.”
Going international
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told
USA Today that he wouldn’t rule out expansion to international cities, but to do so the league would have to reduce its 82game schedule.
"We can play games in China and Europe, or occasional preseason games as a one-off, but under existing airline technology, the planes aren't fast enough to at least play in the current frame work of our regular season," Silver said. "(But) it may be something we'll be looking at over the coming years, is what a regularseason schedule (would) look like a decade from now."
Watson said he’s all for expansion internationally.
“I would love international play,” he said. “The NBA is a global game. I think it would be great for our young players to travel internationally. They would get the cultural experience of visiting different countries and, at the same time, why not take the brand across the world?"
As for how many games would have to be sliced off the regular-season schedule to accommodate international travel, Watson said, "They'll figure out a number."Already the wise old man
Devin Booker won’t turn 21 until late this month but he’s already among the more respected voices in the Suns' locker room.
“I wouldn’t say I’m established in the league yet. That’s still something I have to work on,” Booker said. “But I’ve had a lot of experience since I’ve been here. I was thrown in the fire at a young age and I’ve learned a lot from that. I try not to make the same mistakes twice, lead by example and just bring it every day. Be a professional so the younger guys know how to carry themselves in this league.” Coming up
The Suns will play their second and final preseason road game Friday in Utah before coming home for three games next week at Talking Stick Resort Arena: Monday against Utah, Wednesday against Portland, Friday against the Brisbane Bullets, an Australian professional team.