All the talk about free agent big men has surrounded the likes Chris Bosh, Greg Monroe and Pau Gasol. By no means is this an indication that there aren’t others out there who don’t represent both need and value.
One such player is Channing Frye, who the Phoenix Suns are reportedly attempting to re-sign.
Suns pushing to re-sign Channing Frye, sources tell Yahoo. After opting-out of deal, Frye's surveying market, including Cavs, Warriors.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2014
It’s going to be a rather difficult task to bring Frye back, as he promises to draw a ton of interest on the open market. Wojnarowski points out the Warriors as a potential landing spot. And it makes a ton of sense. Golden State is said to be looking for a pop-and-shoot power forward, something that Frye brings to the table on a consistent basis.
A total of 55 percent of Frye’s shot attempts last season came from three-point range. He shot 37 percent from distance and could very well help sharpshooter Stephen Curry find more room on the perimeter. That’s exactly what Steve Kerr and Co. are said to be looking for. It’s more of a backup option for the Warriors, who continue to be the favorites to land Kevin Love.
Frye started all 82 games for the Suns last season, averaging 11.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per outing. According to ESPN, Frye ranked fifth among qualified power forwards in “real plus-minus,” which is an indication that the Suns were a much better team when he was on the court. To put that into perspective, Kevin Love and Blake Griffin ranked below him in that category.
We can also expect the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers, among others, to show interest in the underrated free agent over the next few days.
Photo: USA Today