Booker, Bledsoe, Knight: Phoenix Suns' Best Fantasy Basketball Value

Sep 26, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; (From left) Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe , guard Devin Booker and guard Brandon Knight. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Here are your favorites. Your cream of the crop. The four best Phoenix Suns in terms of fantasy basketball for your 2016-17 fantasy draft.

They are likely the four Phoenix Suns you would expect, but what order should you look to draft them in?

If you missed part 2, read it here. Or better yet, start with part 1 here.

Starting with the 7-foot-2 center entering his fourth season, Alex Len.

4.) Alex Len

Ranked at 91 on ESPN’s fantasy basketball player list, Len averaged just 9.0 PPG and 7.6 RPG last season. However, it was also a late season surge of double-doubles that proved Len is ready to play big minutes in the NBA.

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Len got more playing time as the season went on, and proved he deserved it, turning into a double-double machine.

Last year, Len posted 14 of his season’s 18 double-doubles after the month of January. Len played 15 games of 30 minutes or more in that stretch, while only playing six games of 30 minutes or more from October to January.

Len averaged 13.9 PPG and 11.7 RPG per 36 minutes and will likely put up numbers closer to that this season.

With a Tyson Chandler trade potentially in the future, Len is a solid option that can be grabbed in the seventh or eighth round. In keeper leagues, Len could go even higher.

While Len’s regression on defense is concerning for fantasy basketball owners (BPG per 36 minutes down from 2.5 in 2014-2015 to 1.2 last season), it will only hurt his value in category leagues.

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Len’s low field goal percentage (dropped from 50.7 to 43.2 percent last season), should not be too large of a long-term concern for potential Len owners. Len will have plenty of other options to help him out on offense. Also, less of the offense and junk-time minutes will be run through him.

Len is the center you want to own on this team, and probably will be for years to come.

2015-2016: 9.0 PPG, 0.5 SPG, 1.2 APG, 7.6 RPG, 50.7 FG%

2017 PROJECTION: 11.7 PPG, 0.6 SPG, 2.1 APG, 10.1 RPG, 47.1 FG%

Apr 13, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) reacts after taking a jump shot against the Los Angeles Clippers at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns won 114-105. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

3.) Devin Booker

Like Len, Booker benefited from more minutes as the season went on, but he will not have to wait until the new year to become a regular member of the rotation this season.

Booker grew into a versatile scorer in just a few quick months.

He did not receive a start until over a month into his rookie year, was the fourth fastest player to reach 1,000 career points, only behind Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Pretty nice company to be in.

Devin Booker was also 74th (of those who played at least 100 minutes last season) in points per 36 minutes last season (17.9), ahead of Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas, Kenneth Faried, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thaddeus Young.

Overall, the rookie Kentucky guard finished fourth on the team in points per 36 minutes last season, behind Eric Bledsoe (21.5), Mirza Teletovic (20.6) and Brandon Knight (19.6).

Last season was as much as you can ask out of a rookie. Being named to the All-Rookie First Team, just barely losing to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in the Three-Point Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend, and some record numbers like the one above, showed Booker is something special, and he will be special in fantasy production as well.

Expect a big jump in all-around numbers from Booker, especially in points, assists and three-point field goal percentage. Guards take less time to get acclimated to the NBA, especially shooters like Booker, so do not be afraid to reach for him because he is still only 20 years old.

Booker is at 78 on ESPN’s fantasy basketball player list, but as even more of a rising star than Len, Booker could go in the fifth or six round in drafts, especially keeper leagues.

2015-2016: 13.8 PPG, 0.6 SPG, 2.6 APG, 2.5 RPG, 42.3 FG%, 34.3 3PT%

2017 PREDICTION: 15.7 PPG, 0.9 SPG, 3.7 APG, 3.1 RPG, 44.1 FG%, 36.9 3PT%

Jan 6, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (3) dribbles the ball against the Charlotte Hornets in the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

2.) Brandon Knight

The Suns increased all-around depth will hurt the production of their top two fantasy basketball players, the first being Brandon Knight.

While Knight is still a great three-point shooter and scored a career high 19.6 PPG last year, we have not seen the same consistent fantasy production from him in Phoenix as we did in Milwaukee.

While he has kicked his PPG and APG totals up slightly over the last two years, his field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage, points per 36 minutes, and assists per 36 minutes have all gone down since becoming a Sun.

There is still plenty to like from Knight. However on a team full of scorers, including one in particular (Devin Booker) who could cut into Knight’s minutes, Knight is a high-risk high-reward option.

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Last season, the majority of Booker’s playing time came after Eric Bledsoe’s season ending injury. How the three guards will be used in the same rotation remains to be seen. Booker certainly has more potential than Knight at this point, and could take his starting job.

However there is also the possibility that Booker remains on the bench and the Suns delegate the minutes evenly across the bench.

It’s a tough situation to predict, but one thing is for sure: with less of the scoring burden on Knight, owners can expect assist totals to rise.

Another possibility for Knight is he could be trade bait with numerous guards on the roster fighting for playing time. Perhaps to the Chicago Bulls, who need any type of three-point shooter they can get? His value would certainly increase from an efficiency and scoring aspect there.

For those who like to go with big men with the first few picks in their draft, Knight can be a solid fifth or sixth-round option as a PG2.

2015-2016: 19.6 PPG,  1.2 SPG, 5.1 APG, 3.9 RPG, 41.5 FG%, 34.2 3PT%

2017 PROJECTION: 15.9 PPG, 1.1 SPG, 6.3 APG, 3.7 RPG, 42.9 FG%, 34.7 3PT%

Dec 2, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons guard Steve Blake (22) during the third quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit won 127-122 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

1.) Eric Bledsoe

Ranked at 24 on ESPN’s fantasy basketball players list, Bledsoe is the only Phoenix Suns’ player projected to be a top 50 fantasy player this season (Knight is listed at 56).

Bledsoe’s incredible amount of strength and speed packed into a 6’1″ frame is one of the most amazing things to watch in basketball.

A miniature Russell Westbrook, Bledsoe uses his athleticism on both ends of the court, making him everyone’s favorite kind of fantasy player to have, and least favorite to match up against. He is truly a stat sheet stuffer. Even on nights when Bledsoe’s shot is not doing much for him, he can contribute in a variety of ways.

If Bledsoe had stayed healthy and kept his 20.4 PPG, 6.1 APG, 4.0 RPG and 2.0 SPG line, he would have been only one of four players to have a 20/6/4/2 line. The other three? Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook, and Kyle Lowry. All of them were All-Stars in 2016.

Ignore the injury concerns, Bledsoe is worth the risk as a third-round draft pick.

2015-2016: 20.4 PPG, 6.1 APG, 4.0 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 45.3 FG%, 37.2 3PT%

2017 PROJECTION: 18.2 PPG, 7.5 APG, 4.1 RPG, 2.1 SPG, 46.1 FG%, 38.0 3PT%

Note – I am aware all 12 of these players PPG totals adds up to be something way over 110 PPG. As nice as that would be, that is not happening. With such a new roster, it is tough to predict who the few odd men out will be. I also do not think all 12 will play every single night.

Regardless, the Suns will have a much improved offense this year and are poised to finish in the top half of the league in scoring and field goal percentage.

If you missed part 2, read it here. Or better yet, start with part 1 here.

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