Suns Should Consider This Lineup Change

Phoenix Suns coach Frank Vogel should consider this lineup change.

Apr 5, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and Phoenix Suns guard / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns, and particularly coach Frank Vogel, are on a time crunch as the regular season comes to a close.

Credit should be handed out as it is due - Vogel has coached this defense masterfully and has seemingly won over the locker room for the most part.

The potential fatal flaw might be his unwavering loyalty to backup C Drew Eubanks.

Eubanks has been a hot-and-cold role player off of the bench - but it has become fairly clear that the veteran big man cannot be trusted on a consistent basis.

5-man lineup data presented without comment:

Book/Beal/Allen/Durant/Nurkic: +8.1 (900 possessions)
Book/Beal/Allen/Durant/Eubanks: -4.1 (150 poss)

Book/EG/Allen/Durant/Nurkic: +12.7 (450 poss)
Book/EG/Allen/Durant/Eubanks: -9.1 (150 poss)

— Sam Cooper (@scooperhoops) April 6, 2024

In comes Thaddeus Young.

The 35 year-old F/C typically has been a 4 (traditionally a power forward) over the course of his career, but has been able to play the 5 (center) in an NBA that has leaned into small-ball lineups more frequently over the years.

Young joined the Suns under the premise that he desired to be apart of a winning culture, a winning franchise once again - and that he was willing to do whatever it takes to add to the Suns' equation.

Unfortunately, the Georgia Tech product has seen legitimate opportunities come few and far between - he's only appeared in seven contests with the Suns - receiving meaningful playing time in only three of those seven appearances.

Young's floor-raising was as evident as ever in the win against the Denver Nuggets back on March 27.

Young flashed his all-around game in only 18 minutes on the floor, from admirable defense to high-flying rebounds and great facilitation of the offense from a big man.

To put it plainly - Young is much more of a natural fit for what lead assistant Kevin Young envisions this Phoenix offense to be at peak form.

It's unlikely at this point that a change will be made due to the time crunch, but at the very least, it should be a consideration that breaking the emergency glass within the next two weeks is the best plan of attack moving forward - particularly in a prospective rubber match with any of the top three teams in the West.