Ben Pfeifer of The Step Back analyzes LaMelo Ball, Obi Toppin, and more prospects

LOCKED ON SUNS 12/4/17: Devin Booker drops 46 in a Suns win over Philadelphia: In today's episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap the Suns' 115-101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Led by a 46-point outburst from Devin Booker, the Suns snagged a road win on their east coast swing. We recapped that, plus a lot of other standout subplots. We also looked at tomorrow's prospect matchup between Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams in Phoenix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

21 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 10/31/17: Recapping a wild week of Suns basketball: Happy Halloween! In today's episode, Evan and Yusuf recap the Bledsoe situation, discuss Jay Triano's effect on the roster and take a look at a few players who have stood out through the first week. Should Dragan Bender be starting? That and more are discussed so tune in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

28 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 11/25/17: Recap of loss to the Pelicans + Mailbag: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, it was just Brendon recapping last night’s loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, alongside answering your questions from Reddit (By the way, shout out to the r/Suns community for flooding the mailbag!). Evan is currently out of town for the holiday, but Brendon and he will be back together next episode with a lot of guests lined up for the near future. Make sure to subscribe on iTunes podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

25 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 12/8/17: Recapping loss to Washington + our thoughts on Mike James' new contract: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, Brendon and Evan recap Phoenix’ 109-99 loss to the John Wall-less Wizards. We recapped the performances of T.J. Warren, Dragan Bender, Marquese Chriss, Josh Jackson, and more. Also, we looked at Mike James’ new contract that keeps him around through July 1. To make room for James, the Suns waived Derrick Jones Jr. Was that the right choice? Then, finally, we quickly looked ahead to Spurs-Suns + Alabama-Arizona tomorrow night in Tuscon. Evan will be there scouting Deandre Ayton again alongside Collin Sexton up-close for the first time. He actually really likes the long-term thought of a Sexton-Booker backcourt if their own pick conveys outside the top five. Enjoy, and make sure to subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

32 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS: Takeaways from round 2 against the Lakers: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, Bright Side's Evan Sidery and Brendon Kleen recap Phoenix's 100-93 loss to the Lakers. What were some positives and overall thoughts we took away from the Suns as they drop to 5-10? Devin Booker, T.J. Warren, Dragan Bender, and Marquese Chriss have their games looked over, as well as Booker's historic start for a 21-year-old as only KD and Steph are currently alongside him in a category. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

17 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 11/20/17: A recap of Phoenix's 113-105 win over the Bulls: In today's episode of Locked On Suns, co-hosts Evan Sidery and Brendon Kleen recap the Suns win Sunday over Chicago. We touched on the likes of T.J. Warren's start and overall performance this year, Mike James, Point Booker, Troy Daniels, Josh Jackson, and Chicago's Lauri Markkanen, Also, Brendon and I looked quickly towards the freight train that is Giannis Antetokounmpo rolling towards Talking Stick Resort Arena alongside Eric Bledsoe Wednesday in his return. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

26 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 1/9/18: Halfway Stock Reports: On this episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap the last 20 games in our second of four stock reports. We analyzed all of the following players, including Jay Triano: Devin Booker, T.J. Warren, Josh Jackson, Dragan Bender, and Marquese Chriss. On all of them, we took in-depth analytical dives while looking at their latest trends over certain portions of this stretch. Booker was only apart of 10/19 games with an adductor injury. So, how did the grades end up? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

62 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS: Quarterly Stock Reports on #TheTimeline: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon discuss their observations on the core five of the Suns (Booker, Warren, Jackson, Bender, Chriss) plus Jay Triano. Who grades out the best so far? Also, we look at the end of what long-term coaching profile fits this roster best. This is a longer episode, about an hour, as we went rather in-depth. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

56 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 11/18/17: Houston + LA recap, Greg Monroe's debut, and Devin Booker's historic start: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, Evan Sidery and Brendon Kleen recap Phoenix's two-game stretch against Houston and LA. Also, how did Greg Monroe look in his debut? We also spent some good time discussing Devin Booker's leap into the elite. Is it time to discuss him being a possible all-time All-Star snub? Sure looks like it thus far if this continues for the Suns' 21-year-old star. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

33 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 11/27/17: Learning more on the Bledsoe trade from the Bucks perspective with FanSided's Ti Windisch: On today's episode, Evan is still out of town until the next episode recapping the Chicago game, so Brendon was joined by FanSided's Ti Windisch to discuss more on the Bledsoe trade from a Milwaukee perspective, alongside what Phoenix has right now in Greg Monroe. Also, they touched on a lot of other fun topics, so tune in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

30 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS: Bledsoe trade reaction and week in review: In today's episode of Locked On Suns (sorry for the delay everyone, we have encountered some technical issues that should now be resolved moving forward Monday-Thursday), Bright Side of the Sun's Evan Sidery and Brendon Kleen bring you the latest reactions. What are our thoughts on the Bledsoe trade? What's next for Ryan McDonough to pull? Should they maneuver through the draft, free agency or all? Also, we look back on their last few performances before they face the Lakers on Monday. (Note: Evan called in from the arena after the Suns win over Minnesota, so I could have scratchy signal at some points in this in the bowels of TSR Arena but it's fine for almost all of it.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

38 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 3/22/18: Previewing the Sweet 16 draft prospects: On today’s episode, in anticipation of the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight this weekend, we broke down all the first-round prospects to watch as the Suns mull their options with likely three first-round picks this June. Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter Jr. at Duke have cemented themselves in the top 10, but which fits better in Phoenix? Which is a better overall prospect? How does Mikal Bridges fit into the mix at the end of the top 10, and can he do anything this weekend to raise his stock? Additionally, Zhaire Smith and Texas Tech play Purdue tomorrow night, and Smith has an opportunity to vault even higher into the first-round after nearly posting a triple-double in the second round against Florida. Which of these guys would you trade up for? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

24 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 1/3/14: Recapping the loss in Denver, and how important is the 2018 draft to this core?: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, Evan is joined by special guest, Bright Side’s managing editor and overlord, Dave King! This was a fun one, as we recapped the loss in Denver but then we also explored a multitude of topics.When will Greg Monroe be off the roster?Did we expect this jump from Devin Booker in Year 3?If Dave was in general manager Ryan McDonough’s shoes, what would he do to get Booker some help?Has Marquese Chriss finally turned the corner after a career-best 5-game stretch?How important is the 2018 draft class to this core’s future? Would you rather see them win 30 games with Booker or fall off to get a top 3 pick? (Dave brought up how Booker and Deandre Ayton could be a new age Kobe-Shaq and now it’s stuck in my head.)Expectations for the season’s second half with Phoenix Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

28 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 12/12/17: Recapping 99-92 loss in Sacramento + Is it time to start worrying about Josh Jackson?: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap the Suns' 99-92 loss in Sacramento. Phoenix is now 0-3 in their last three games without Devin Booker and has yet to eclipse 100 points. After another subpar performance, we also looked at Josh Jackson. Compared to other rookie wings, he's been the worst (ex: Tatum, Anunoby). Is it time to press the panic button on him? Also, we quickly looked ahead to tomorrow night's matchup against Toronto. Make sure to subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

23 min listen

Locked On Suns 11/2/2017: .500 and it feels so good: Evan Sidery and Yusuf Saleem of Bright Side of the Sun discuss Phoenix's impressive back-to-back slate, which led to them being .500 for the first time since November 2015. After wins over the Nets and Wizards, Jay Triano improved to 4-1 as the Suns head coach. Is this sustainable? Also, we touched on the performances of Dragan Bender, TJ Warren, Devin Booker, and Josh Jackson over this back-to-back in-depth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

27 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 12/6/17: Lots of prospect and adductor muscle talk: On today's nearly hour-long episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon are joined by Empire of the Suns' Kellan Olson to discuss all the latest Suns news. All three of us were at last night's Valley of the Sun Shootout, which saw two likely top 10 picks, Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams, square off. We spent the first half of the podcast discussing that. Also, we took a deep dive into how we think the Suns will fare over their next 10 games, all likely without Devin Booker after he injured his adductor muscle. We also quickly discussed Woj breaking the news of Mike James signing a new contract before we went on to record. Trade Monroe or Chandler? Waive DJJ? Lots of ground was covered from all angles, so tune in to this one! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

49 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 12/30/17: Suns are winners of 5 of their last 7 after defeating the Kings: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon Phoenix's win over Sacramento, which puts them at 14-23 on the season. With their next three against Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Denver, the Suns have a chance to be sitting at 9th out West if the chips fall how they may over the next week. We focused on the performances of Devin Booker, Marquese Chriss, and T.J. Warren. Warren scored 26 which means the Suns are now 8-0 when he scores 25 or more points. Plus, is this Chriss' best two-game stint as a pro thus far? After recapping the game, we dove into the dominant night Mo Bamba of Texas had. Evan made his case as to why Bamba would be a fit alongside a veteran backcourt of Kemba Walker + Booker. Also, how do Bamba, Deandre Ayton, and Marvin Bagley rank right now over the last few weeks since we discussed prospects extensively? The answers we gave might surprise you. Also, we touched on this ye by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

32 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 1/3/18: Suns stun Hawks after 12-point comeback in final minutes: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap the Suns’ 104-103 win Tuesday night over the Atlanta Hawks. And what a win it turned out to be. After being down 12 after a lethargic performance the first 42 minutes, Phoenix flipped the switch led by Devin Booker, T.J. Warren, and Marquese Chriss yet again. We discussed Booker’s ascension even more and discussed how he will be kept out of the All-Star game (he can’t if this keeps up, right?). Since his return, he’s averaging 31-4-5 with elite efficiency. Also, we touched on the Denver game tonight. Will Josh Jackson get some burn after Booker and Warren played heavy minutes? Jackson was a DNP-CD for the first time. Make sure to subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

32 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 11/28/17: Recapping Phoenix’s win in Chicago + our thoughts on David Fizdale: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, Brendon Kleen and I recap Phoenix’s win over Chicago while also giving our thoughts on what went down with David Fizdale in Memphis. Should the Suns make a move for him to be their next head coach? We also discussed Devin Booker’s performance on Tuesday night, with a 33-9-4 line. If he keeps this up, will All-Star discussions gain steam? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

24 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 1/20/18: Suns pull off an all-around team win in Denver: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap Phoenix’s 108-100 victory over the Nuggets. We touched on Devin Booker, T.J. Warren, Josh Jackson, and the current point guard situation for them. Should Point Book just continue to blossom with Canaan and Ulis primarily off-ball? Since Booker returned to the lineup, he has five instances of 30-5-5 games already. That leads the NBA, with Russell Westbrook right behind him with four. also, we quickly previewed the upcoming contest against Milwaukee. Without Giannis Antetokounmpo once again, can the Suns steal another one on the road? Listen in, and make sure to subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

28 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 12/21/17: Recapping another loss in Los Angeles: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, Brendon and Evan looked back on another ugly, Devin Booker-less loss on the road. The Clippers rode Austin Rivers to a home victory, but despite struggling to defend Rivers, rookie Josh Jackson had one of his better performances. We looked at Jackson’s performance compared to his season overall. We also discussed, once again, what type of change in the starting lineup might jump-start the offense. Is there any way Tyson Chandler leaves the starting lineup? We talked through the point guard rotation as well, even considering whether Isaiah Canaan might be an option with the starters. Finally, we looked into possible trade scenarios for the Suns as their roster begins to take shape for the second half of the year. Is Greg Monroe on his way out after sitting three of the last four games? Might Kemba Walker be a target for the Suns if Charlotte continues to struggle? Learn more about yo by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

1 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS: SI's Jeremy Woo joins us to discuss all things NBA Draft: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon are joined by Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo to discuss all things NBA Draft. We touched on all of the following prospects: Luka Doncic, Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley, Michael Porter, Trae Young, Troy Brown, Trevon Duval, Collin Sexton, Mohamed Bamba, Miles Bridges, Mikal Bridges, and more. It's likely one or possibly two of those names are Suns come late June so this is a must-listen for everyone trying to get their latest draft fix. We even put Jeremy in general manager Ryan McDonough's shoes for a couple questions and his answers might surprise you. (Ex: Which prospect would he put around Devin Booker to begin their ascent up the West?) Enjoy, and make sure to subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

39 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 12/2/17: Recapping 116-111 loss to the Celtics: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap the Suns' close loss at The Garden, 116-111. We touched on Booker's 38-point performance, plus inconsistency finding minutes for Jackson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

19 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS: 2018 draft prospect first impressions with Kellan Olson: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, we have a special one indeed. Evan was joined by Empire of the Suns' Kellan Olson to discuss his top 6 prospects as he unveiled his initial big board this week. Want thoughts on Jaren Jackson, Marvin Bagley, Michael Porter, Deandre Ayton, Mo Bamba, and Luka Doncic as prospects + their overall fits in Phoenix? We have you covered there. Outside of draft talk, we ended with discussing what should be gaining more national steam soon: Devin Booker's historical start as a 21-year-old. Evan and Kellan gave their thoughts on that and what's ahead for the Suns' star guard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

39 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 12/14/17: Phoenix falls to 9-21 after 115-109 loss against Toronto: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap the Suns’ fifth straight loss, 10th in last 12 games. After falling to 9-20, the Suns are quickly making up ground in the 2018 tank race alongside Chicago and Sacramento. We touched on that alongside the signings of Danuel House Jr. and Isaiah Canaan. Also, how is the frontcourt looking to us? Interim head coach Jay Triano is still trying to juggle Greg Monroe, Alex Len, and Tyson Chandler’s minutes. How would we do it moving forward? That, plus some discussion on #SarverOut billboards so make sure to subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

1 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 2/3/18: Sporting News' NBA Draft writer Chris Stone joins the show: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, we decided to split it up. In Part 1 of our draft discussions, Brendon went solo and talked to Chris Stone of Sporting News. Brendon and Chris chatted about names who make sense with their Miami pick, including prospects such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Landry Shamet, and Shake Milton who fit the mold of ball handlers alongside Devin Booker. Then, they quickly discussed Chris’ board at the top, which featured the likes of Luka Doncic, Marvin Bagley III, and Deandre Ayton. Who is Chris’ favorite fit for Phoenix? Chris also watches a lot of Kansas Jayhawks basketball, so they talked about Josh Jackson’s improvements as of late. This was a really informative episode on the latest draft prospects, so tune in. On Monday, Evan will be joined by The Stepien’s Cole Zwicker for Part 2. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

33 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 1/22/18: Turnovers plague the Suns once again in loss to Bucks: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap the Suns' 109-105 loss in Milwaukee. After firing Jason Kidd a few hours before tip, the Bucks were able to pull it out but not without Phoenix being bitten by the turnover bug yet again. Through the first of the episode, we discussed our biggest takeaways for the Suns. This led to the point guard discussion and Tyler Ulis' poor play of late, seeing him attempt 0 shots and Isaiah Canaan takes the majority of second-half minutes. With the increasing likelihood we see Brandon Knight next year, what's that about to look like next to Devin Booker? We tried to make sense of the point guard situation, which we believe heavily relies on how the ping pong balls play out in May. Also, we brought up Adrian Wojnarowski's report of rumored friction between Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs. How does this relate to the Suns? Is it something to monitor moving forward by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

42 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS: Recapping another loss in Los Angeles: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, Brendon and Evan looked back on another ugly, Devin Booker-less loss on the road. The Clippers rode Austin Rivers to a home victory, but despite struggling to defend Rivers, rookie Josh Jackson had one of his better performances. We looked at Jackson’s performance compared to his season overall. We also discussed, once again, what type of change in the starting lineup might jump-start the offense. Is there any way Tyson Chandler leaves the starting lineup? We talked through the point guard rotation as well, even considering whether Isaiah Canaan might be an option with the starters. Finally, we looked into possible trade scenarios for the Suns as their roster begins to take shape for the second half of the year. Is Greg Monroe on his way out after sitting three of the last four games? Might Kemba Walker be a target for the Suns if Charlotte continues to struggle? Learn more about your ad cho by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

29 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 2/28/18: Marquese Chriss, draft sleepers, and a quick Memphis preview: On today’s episode, we ran through the quote that Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic tweeted, in which Marquese Chriss went into detail about his mentality before the All-Star break. We discussed what it might mean for Chriss going forward and what he can do to get right. We also went back and forth on a couple mid-to-late first-round sleepers in the 2018 draft, including SMU guard Shake Milton and Ohio State forward Keita Bates-Diop. The Suns are in a good position to add an instant contributor with one of their picks from 15-40. Finally, we gave our thoughts on the Grizzlies-Suns matchup a few hours before tip-off. Each team is trying to snap a gross 10-game losing streak. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

20 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 1/13/18: Phoenix falls to Houston 112-95: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap the Suns' 17-point loss to Houston on Friday. For the second consecutive time, the Suns have been blown out by the Rockets on national television. We discussed the point guard situation for the Suns. With Isaiah Canaan returning Sunday, how should Jay Triano divvy out the minutes? Will Point Book be expanded upon with less Tyler Ulis? There are some ideas we thought of. Also, we looked at the overall construction of Houston. The Suns not only are one step away, but multiple, including developmental jumps from Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender, and Josh Jackson as Brendon pointed out. Finally, we looked at the monstrous performances from Trae Young, Marvin Bagley III, and Deandre Ayton on Saturday. (Hint: This draft class is turning out to be rather important for the Suns' future.) In the end, we played a hypothetical scenario, too. If Luka Doncic and Ayton are the first tw by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

32 min listen

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Ben Pfeifer of The Step Back analyzes LaMelo Ball, Obi Toppin, and more prospects

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