At age 33, Tyson Chandler isn’t looking to be part of a rebuilding process.
Are the Phoenix Suns rebuilding? That wasn’t the plan with a backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, but injuries robbed the ability to know how well those two can work together (it wasn’t pretty when they were healthy together, but the sample size is small). They have something in guard Devin Booker. Alex Len may be a nice piece. But they need an infusion of talent to push for the playoffs, and the question is do they go after veterans or rebuild with youth?
Which brings us back to Chandler not wanting to be part of a rebuild. Does Chandler want to be traded somewhere he can win more games, maybe compete for a title? Not yet, he said on ESPN’s “The Jump.”“Me and management have a great relationship and we communicate,” he said on ESPN’s The Jump with Rachel Nichols Monday. “If there is a decision and they want to go young and stay young, then we’ll have that conversation. But we’re not there....
“I’m happy where I am,” he said Thursday. “I feel like the Suns have a bright future if we continue to build and build the right way. It’s all about building the right way.”
The Suns were on a slower rebuild process a few years ago when they surprisingly won 48 games (but just missed the playoffs in the deep West). With that, the Suns tried to jump start the process and doubled down on the three-guard lineups and rotations, but nothing worked as well. The Suns have missed the playoffs for six seasons in a row and could bend toward youth and rebuilding, and if so they could shop Chandler. Especially considering next summer they will need to pay Len, and it’s going to be expensive to keep two more traditional centers on the roster.
Don’t be shocked if Chandler is moved this offseason, but right now he’s not pushing for it. At least not yet.