Phoenix Suns
2017-18What were the Phoenix Suns in 2017-18, and what needed front-office attention?
PHX 2017-18: the clearest roster problems were Defensive event creation, Passing connectivity, Creation. No supported strength was identified. The main rotation-player dependency cases were Josh Jackson, Tyler Ulis, Troy Daniels, Jared Dudley, Marquese Chriss. Structural basketball need, injuries, replacement lineups, and financial constraints are reported separately.
What can be trusted
Supported strengths — production, who carries it, and what money is already committed.No supported team strengths for this season — team picture available; recent availability and function-level salary mapping incomplete.
What needs attention
The clearest roster problems the evidence supports.Full reading
PHX 2017-18 Defensive event creation: this was one of the team's clearest roster problems; production ranked at the 18.5 league percentile. Josh Jackson supplied 30.1% of the team's above-replacement production in this area. No governed recent game-level availability layer exists for this season. Function-level salary allocation was incomplete and is withheld.
Full reading
PHX 2017-18 Passing connectivity: this was a real roster weakness; production ranked at the 0.0 league percentile. Devin Booker supplied 34.1% of the team's above-replacement production in this area. No governed recent game-level availability layer exists for this season. Function-level salary allocation was incomplete and is withheld.
Full reading
PHX 2017-18 Creation: this was a real roster weakness; production ranked at the 3.7 league percentile. Devin Booker supplied 30.2% of the team's above-replacement production in this area. No governed recent game-level availability layer exists for this season. Function-level salary allocation was incomplete and is withheld.
Every covered basketball function (11)
| Function | Reading | League percentile | Largest contributor | Recent availability | Salary commitment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creation | SupportedStructural team problem | 4th percentile | Devin Booker · 30.2% | No recent availability layer for this season | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Defensive event creation | SupportedCritical team problem | 19th percentile | Josh Jackson · 30.1% | No recent availability layer for this season | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Interior finishing | SupportedMiddle of the league | 59th percentile | T.J. Warren · 27.9% | No recent availability layer for this season | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Passing connectivity | SupportedStructural team problem | 0th percentile | Devin Booker · 34.1% | No recent availability layer for this season | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Point-of-attack defense proxy | WithheldBasketball conclusion withheld | — | Devin Booker | No recent availability layer for this season | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Rebounding | SupportedMiddle of the league | 52nd percentile | T.J. Warren · 25.8% | No recent availability layer for this season | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Rim pressure | SupportedMiddle of the league | 37th percentile | T.J. Warren · 34.1% | No recent availability layer for this season | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Rim protection | SupportedMiddle of the league | 70th percentile | Dragan Bender · 24.2% | No recent availability layer for this season | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Screening | WithheldBasketball conclusion withheld | — | Devin Booker | No recent availability layer for this season | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Shooting and spacing | SupportedStructural team problem | 4th percentile | Troy Daniels · 37.7% | No recent availability layer for this season | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Switch coverage proxy | WithheldBasketball conclusion withheld | — | Devin Booker | No recent availability layer for this season | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
Who the team depends on
What disappears when a player is removed — and whether an observed replacement five exists.PHX did not have strong functional backup for Josh Jackson in event creation; removing him cost about 30.1% of the team's production in that area. The next observed option was Marquese Chriss.
Replacement evidence
Tyson Chandler · T.J. Warren · Devin Booker · Marquese Chriss · Mike James
shrunk net 2.115 over 206 possessions — small sample
on floor 3,651 possessions · off floor 3,618 possessions
PHX did not have strong functional backup for Tyler Ulis in passing; removing him cost about 32.1% of the team's production in that area. The next observed option was Devin Booker.
Replacement evidence
Tyson Chandler · T.J. Warren · Devin Booker · Marquese Chriss · Mike James
shrunk net 2.115 over 206 possessions — small sample
on floor 3,037 possessions · off floor 4,224 possessions
PHX did not have strong functional backup for Troy Daniels in shooting; removing him cost about 37.7% of the team's production in that area. The next observed option was Devin Booker.
Replacement evidence
Tyson Chandler · T.J. Warren · Devin Booker · Marquese Chriss · Mike James
shrunk net 2.115 over 206 possessions — small sample
on floor 2,929 possessions · off floor 4,314 possessions
PHX lineups performed 9.2 points per 100 possessions better with Jared Dudley than without him. The best supported alternative was [Tyson Chandler, T.J. Warren, Devin Booker, Marquese Chriss, Mike James] over 206 possessions.
Replacement evidence
Tyson Chandler · T.J. Warren · Devin Booker · Marquese Chriss · Mike James
shrunk net 2.115 over 206 possessions — small sample
on floor 1,250 possessions · off floor 6,019 possessions
PHX had an observed replacement lineup for Marquese Chriss, but it came with a performance cost. The supported alternative was [Tyson Chandler, T.J. Warren, Devin Booker, Dragan Bender, Tyler Ulis] at -5.4 adjusted net points per 100 possessions over 159 possessions.
Replacement evidence
Tyson Chandler · T.J. Warren · Devin Booker · Dragan Bender · Tyler Ulis
shrunk net -5.37 over 159 possessions — small sample
on floor 2,828 possessions · off floor 4,441 possessions
Function loss, lineup performance, and replacement-lineup evidence remain separate; none is causal player value.
What injuries change
Recent absences and the basketball needs they created or worsened.No governed recent game-level availability layer exists for this season.
Where money is tied up
Cap position and salary allocation — shown beside the basketball picture, never blended into it.Most salary is mapped to interior finishing; the highest-need area is defensive event creation. Salary-to-function mapping covers 72% of charges.
Exact figures
Exact transaction legality withheld — no exception-usage, cap-hold, and transaction ledger evidence.
What the evidence cannot answer
Deliberate abstentions — where the database refuses a conclusion rather than guessing.- Point-of-attack defense proxy: Basketball conclusion withheld
- Screening: Basketball conclusion withheld
- Switch coverage proxy: Basketball conclusion withheld
Exact transaction legality: Exact transaction legality withheld — no exception-usage, cap-hold, and transaction ledger evidence
Team-season situation report. Structural basketball quality, recent availability, player dependence, replacement lineups, and financial position remain separate. No acquisition recommendation, transaction grade, coaching grade, outcome claim, or causal value is inferred.