Holiday weekend mailbag: How Devin Booker could improve in 2021 plus the Suns' rotation and team identity

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: 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 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 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 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 12/19/17: Have the Suns turned a corner following wins in Minnesota and Dallas?: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, we dove into the last two games for the Devin Booker-less Suns. How are the Suns succeeding without their top scorer and offensive focal point? Specifically, we looked at Alex Len’s hot streak and how it affects the team’s long-term plans in the frontcourt. Then, we moved to his big man partner, Dragan Bender, and his performance over the weekend. We discuss whether the Timberwolves game was a turning point for him, or just another blip. Finally, we spoke about the guard rotation, which has been upside-down since the Suns signed Isaiah Canaan a week ago. Mike James is out, Canaan is in, and Troy Daniels is scoring in bunches. We tried to make sense of it all, and discussed what might happen when Devin Booker (and Davon Reed) return to the lineup. Thanks for listening, and make sure to subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

37 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: 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: 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 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 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: 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 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 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 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: 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 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 11/27/17: 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 12/22/17: Phoenix grinds out another win against Memphis: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap the Suns’ 97-95 win over Memphis. Alongside that, we discussed how dominant the bench has been after inserting Isaiah Canaan over Mike James. With James, it was a plus-minus for the group at -3.4, but with Canaan, it is +12.3 (!!!). Also, we discussed the Blender (Dragan Bender and Alex Len) once more. Should they be moved into the starting lineup or continue to dominant bench units? There’s a lot of thoughts on many players in the rotation we unpacked during our near 30-minute episode, so tune in! 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 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 12/14/17: Phoenix falls to 9-21 after 115-109 loss to 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

21 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 12/11/17: ESPN's Baxter Holmes joins the show to talk some Suns and NBA: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, ESPN's Baxter Holmes joins the show to talk about the Suns and the NBA in general. Brendon hosted solo today with Evan busy, but we went over Baxter's feature story on Mike James, leadership importance in a young locker room, the Suns' potential, and much more. Make sure to subscribe! 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 3/6/18: Heat bludgeon Suns on the second night of a back-to-back, 125-103: On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap the Suns’ 125-103 loss in Miami. After coming up short in Atlanta on Sunday afternoon, this result was to be expected against a stronger opponent. We examined our main takeaways from this outcome. Devin Booker once again put together another 30+ point outing, which is his 21st such occurrence in 51 total games. He’s the only player in the league right now who scores 30 greater than 40% of the time he steps foot on the court. This game was a prime example of Booker showing up yet his teammates failing to produce alongside him, which has been the case in many Suns blowout losses. Not only did the co-hosts discuss Booker, but also the performances of T.J. Warren, Dragan Bender, Marquese Chriss, and many more. After recapping Phoenix’s 18th loss in their last 20 games, we quickly looked at the reverse standings. If the Suns ended up with Dea by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

19 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 1/30/18: Grizzlies recap, Avery Bradley/Blake Griffin news, mock draft: The Suns lost, predictably, to the Grizzlies on Monday night, 120-109. Brendon and Evan touch on why it was more of the same for the Suns in Memphis, minus Devin Booker and Marquese Chriss. We also break down another 20-point performance for Josh Jackson. We also discussed two NBA breaking news pieces concerning from yesterday and how they relate to the Suns’ team-building pursuits. First, John Gambadoro’s report that the Suns will target Avery Bradley in free agency this summer. Also, what Blake Griffin being traded to Detroit means for the Suns. Finally, ahead of Evan’s first mock draft for Bright Side, we mocked the lottery, including the Suns pick at No. 3 overall. This is a must-listen if you want all the latest on the Suns and draft prospects Phoenix could select this summer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

59 min listen

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 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? Make sure to subscr by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

1 min listen

LOCKED ON SUNS 1/15/18: Recapping the Suns' Bright Side Night defeat + James Jones' exclusive interview: On today's episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon recap the Suns' 120-97 loss to the Pacers on Bright Side Night. By the way, thanks to everyone donating. We sent 2,100 underprivileged children to their first NBA game, so that's awesome! We gave our takeaways from Sunday's matchup (hello, Josh Jackson!), but also spent the last 30 or so minutes of the podcast discussing our chat with Vice President of Basketball Operations James Jones. He was surprisingly open about a lot of current situations, so we gave our thoughts on that. Jones touched on the draft, Booker at PG, future team building ideas, and plenty more. Also, we looked ahead for the Suns as they begin a tough stretch up until the end of January. How will it go for the league's youngest rotation? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

47 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 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 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

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Holiday weekend mailbag: How Devin Booker could improve in 2021 plus the Suns' rotation and team identity

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