The Channing Frye of old was given a $2.2 million player option for 2010-2011, but the flashy new Channing Frye (complete with three-point shooting action!) values himself at a bit more. Frye will decline his option to become an unrestricted free agent with the rest of the bunch.
This doesn’t necessarily mean Channing is done as a Sun. While there are a number of offensive systems that could benefit from a extra long-range threat, I don’t think it’s lost on Frye that the Phoenix’s offense brought him his first big payday.
That last bit could end up being the Suns’ downfall, if Frye manages to snag a few offers; because Channing has yet to sign a substantial NBA contract, this could be his best chance for a quick cash grab. It’s unlikely that anyone will offer Frye a long-term deal, but he may be able to secure a two or three-year offer worth more than Phoenix is willing to pay. With the new CBA looming, it’s more important than ever that role players take what they can get while they can get it.
Regardless, Channing insists that he’s willing to bide his time and let free agency offer what it may. From Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic:
“I just have to sit and wait,” Frye said from his basketball camp in Hawaii. “It’s a matter of being patient and looking at all the options. I’ll let the market set my value. I have no idea about what it is. Phoenix always is going to have a slight edge, because that’s what I know and where I’ve been successful. But I have to see what else is out there.”
Frye said he figured he would opt out of this contract when he signed it last year with a 2010-11 player option for $2.1 million. He increased his value by averaging 11.2 points last season and being a 6-foot-11 3-point shooter. He made 172 3s last season at a 44 percent clip. “I’m not trying to break anybody’s bank,” Frye said. “I want the market to set the line and let me go from there. Wherever I go, I want to set my feet and make sure I’m part of the future. I don’t want to be a two-years-and-out guy. I want to be there three, four, five years.”