Should T.J. Warren Start Over P.J. Tucker In 2015-16?

Before the All-Star break, the biggest gripe against head coach Jeff Hornacek was a shortage of minutes for youngsters Archie Goodwin and T.J. Warren. The Phoenix Suns were trending downward, and that was before Goran Dragic came out and told the world he wouldn’t re-sign with the team.

The trade deadline dismantled a team that could have contended for one of the final playoff spots in the West, but by bringing in draft picks and a combo guard who’s six years younger (Dragic turns 29 tomorrow), the Suns placed their bets on the future.

With that in mind, it’s a fair question: Should this young Suns team go all out with a developmental focus and start T.J. Warren over P.J. Tucker at small forward next season?

Even with a 10-18 record following the All-Star break, the Suns were still relatively close in the playoff hunt for the eighth seed. If it weren’t for injuries to Brandon Knight and Alex Len, they might have been able to make a run at the postseason.

On that basis, starting the unpolished Scorin’ Warren over an underrated defender like Tucker seems silly. But when you look at the current state of the franchise, it starts to become more of a legitimate question.

Next: The Current State