Monty Williams Cites 'Sacrifice' as Suns Solidify Rotations

Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams cited his group needed to "sacrifice" playing time with current rotations.

When T.J. Warren came to the Phoenix Suns as a part of the Kevin Durant trade package, many expected him to contribute in some form or fashion. Coming off the bench for the Brooklyn Nets prior to the deal, Warren showed he was capable of putting up numbers on occasion. 

Yet since his arrival in Phoenix, Warren's seen very little of the floor.

Warren first played for the Suns on Feb. 14 and again on Feb. 16. He played no more than eight minutes in each contest and hasn't touched the court since. 

For a Suns team that lost depth when they gave away Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, it is a bit odd to see Warren as an odd man out. 

“Just a lot of guys to play,” Monty Williams told the Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin after Sunday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. 

"We need a great deal of sacrifice from the group. There may be a shot for him to play, but right now, we feel like we have a decent rhythm with the guys who are playing."

When a team makes a major roster move the way Phoenix did, it takes time to adjust. The Suns had relatively the same core for the past two seasons so they won’t be able to easily flip a switch and find their identity once again.

Expect Williams and the rest of the coaching staff to try out a number of different lineups to test out and see what works, especially when Durant gets back on the court.

Warren will certainly get his time in the lineup but Williams will find the right time to insert him into the rotation without messing up the existing chemistry most of the team already has.

The key word going forward for Phoenix this regular season is patience. When Durant returns to the lineup, the Suns may not start being this elite team right out the gate. There will be some growing pains due to all the changes this roster went through in the middle of the season.

The potential is there for Phoenix to truly be a great team. This next month will be about them gelling together and becoming a cohesive unit which will only come with time and patience.