Phx-Suns.Net

Houston needed Ariza to play that many minutes. We're trying to win games, but I still think we'll make time for development. I think Ariza will be under 30 a game. In fact, Booker is the only player I'd give 30+ minutes to. Jackson/Ayton could prove worthy of those minutes, but I'm not handing it to them.

I think both Shaq and Okobo will average over 10mpg, so that could keep Knight at or under 30mpg. I realize both guys could back up Booker for stretches. I just think they'll want to play the younger guys more as the season progresses and their minutes will come at the expense of Knights.

Because of the makeup of our roster and depth at wing, I keep going back to the Trailblazers of the past 2-3 years when they rotated guys like Aminu, Harkless, Turner, Crabbe, Vonleh, Davis, Leonard, Nurkic and Plumlee (and some others). Lillard and McCollum got their 35mpg, and then those other guys got between 16-17mpg and 30mpg. They had a little more depth at PG and C which spread the minutes out differently. We're still essentially looking at 4 SFs, 2 PFs to split 96 minutes. Drop the numbers down:

Knight- 25mpg
Booker- 35
Jackson- 28
Ariza- 26
Ayton- 32
Warren - 28
Bender - 22
Chriss-18
Bridges - 16
Harrison/Okobo/Chander/Holmes- 10mpg leftover

Maybe that's more in line? I think Ayton should get as many minutes as he can handle if he belongs out there. Jackson, Ariza, and Warren are somewhat interchangeable and their minutes might be determined based on matchups. I'd like for Bridges to get time this season and he'll be mixed in with the other 3. Maybe he sees 25+ minutes some nights, less time others. Bender and Chriss are the question marks, as is Knight. But if we're going to spread those minutes out, those wings better go balls to the wall on both ends and leave it all out there.

I agree in principle with Shel. It's going to be about surrounding Booker and Ayton with a variety of players. I do think Okobo is going to see regular time. Bender / Chriss / Holmes / Chandler have equal chances to see minutes on a nightly basis, and I think 2 of them get time each night depending on matchups and who looks ready in practice.

Booker 34
Ayton 32
Knight 28
Jackson 26
Ariza 26
Warren 26
Bridges 24
Okobo 16
Bender / Chriss / Holmes / Chandler 26

Oh my god, I just looked at our stats from last season to check how many games Chriss and Bender each started. I had already forgotten how bad we were last year.

Any upgrade here will make a huge difference:
PG -- Ulis: 24 mpg / A revolving door of scrubs: 24 mpg
SG -- Daniels: 20 mpg
SF -- A revolving door of scrubs: 14ish mpg
C -- Len: 20 mpg / Chandler or Monroe: 25 mpg

That's 130 mpg to extremely marginal players whom we shouldn't see much of this season. Maybe some time for Chandler here and there, and in extreme circumstances such as injuries, we might see Harrison or Daniels or Reed or someone. But not every game.