Pat Spencer’s move to Phoenix was always going to come with questions, but his Suns debut made the road ahead look even steeper.
The former Warrior left Golden State this offseason for a two-way deal with the Suns, a decision that stood out because he had been a familiar part of Steve Kerr’s rotation the last few years. Golden State may have preferred to spend those two-way spots on younger players with more long-term upside, but it’s still not hard to imagine Spencer having found a path to meaningful minutes had he stayed. The Warriors are expected to lean on the back end of the roster this season, and Spencer’s energy and edge had fit that environment.
Phoenix, though, is crowded. The Suns already have Jalen Green and Devin Booker starting in the backcourt, and they also brought back Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin, both of whom are significant pieces.
Luke Kennard is on the main roster too, while Jamaree Bouyea and Haywood Highsmith were added on non-guaranteed deals. Duop Reath and Kennedy Chandler are also in the mix for either a guaranteed spot or a two-way contract.
That leaves Spencer fighting uphill for any real minutes.
His first preseason outing against the Detroit Pistons didn’t help his case. Spencer logged the fewest minutes of any Suns player who saw the floor, playing 7.25 minutes and finishing with one point, one assist and one steal.
On paper, he can fit what Phoenix says it wants to be: physical, intense, hard to deal with. But the Suns also need more size and length on the defensive end, and Spencer doesn’t provide that. With the way this backcourt is built and the way the rotation appears likely to settle, the path to a real role looks narrow.
Spencer is heading toward unrestricted free agency next offseason, and since this is his final year of two-way eligibility, he’ll need to prove he deserves a guaranteed NBA spot. If his place in Phoenix stays this shaky, that could turn into a brutal outcome for the fourth-year guard.
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