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#3 Daniel Theis
Another big man, the Phoenix Suns could really benefit from Daniel Theis' presence on the frontcourt. Deandre Ayton struggled to guard Giannis Antetokounmpo in the NBA Finals, and when he ran into foul trouble, there wasn't anyone who could at least bother the Greek Freak with length.
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Theis, at 6' 8'', does not have the type of size Ayton has, but his 245lb and savvy to play in the paint could be beneficial for Monty Williams' team.
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Theis is coming off a year in which he played for the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls, and had averages of 9.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while playing 24 minutes a night.
#2 Cameron Payne
The Phoenix Suns' run to the 2021 NBA Finals was mainly influenced by their backcourt power, headlined by Chris Paul and Devin Booker. However, Cameron Payne was also a solid role player on Phoenix's backcourt and the franchise should look to keep him on the roster.
Payne has played for the Phoenix Suns since last year's Orlando bubble, where he helped the team go undefeated and put up 10.9 points on 48/51/85 shooting splits.
To prove that his bubble outburst was not a thing of the past, Payne brought that same confidence to the 2020-21 NBA season and averaged 8.4 points per game with 48/44/89 shooting splits as Chris Paul's backup.
He's definitely earned a relatively big payday and other teams would be interested in him, but the Phoenix Suns should work towards bringing him back.
#1 Chris Paul
This is the big one. In order to remain an NBA title contender, the Phoenix Suns should maintain Chris Paul and his leadership on the roster. Paul arrived via trade from the OKC Thunder and was the leader of a team that finished second in the stacked Western Conference and went to the 2021 NBA Finals after a solid postseason run.
Paul now has a $44-million player option that he is reportedly willing to decline in order to look for a multi-year contract.
There are rumors about Paul going elsewhere and how he would fit in with other teams, but reports about him declining his player option do not indicate that he wants to leave the Phoenix Suns.
Despite the loss in the 2021 NBA Finals, the 36-year-old again proved his worth as a leader in the NBA, averaging 16.4 points and 8.9 assists per game in the regular season.
In the NBA Playoffs, Paul's numbers were even better, averaging 19.2 points and 8.6 assists per game with 49/44/87 shooting splits in 20 games.
Also read: 3 bold predictions for the Phoenix Suns
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