SUNS

Phoenix Suns roster spot is Henry Sims' target

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Mar 14, 2015: Philadelphia 76ers center Henry Sims (35) during warm ups before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Wells Fargo Center. The Nets won 94-87.

The Suns' roster for this season is balanced enough for a tightrope walk, certainly a contrast to last season’s imbalance that led to the inevitable fall.

The Suns have at least three players for each of the guard and forward spots. With only Tyson Chandler and Alex Len in the middle, the Suns may look for another center. That center may be Henry Sims.

Sims already has been in Phoenix for a week, participating in the voluntary workouts that started in earnest two weeks early with 10 contract players at US Airways Center daily.

“This is an opportunity for me to show what I can do for a team that can make the playoffs,” Sims said. “I want to show the NBA I can do what I was doing there (in Philadelphia) on any team and do more. It gives me an extra boost of energy to be here for a potential playoff team.”

Like former Brooklyn power forward Cory Jefferson, Sims is in town and part of the training-camp roster on a make-good contract. The Suns have 13 guaranteed contracts, meeting the minimum for regular-season roster size, but they could carry 14 or 15 players as most teams do.

If Chandler and Len hold up like they did last season, the Suns would have little need for a third center other than spot duty and to give Chandler rest on practice days. Chandler played 75 games last season and Len played 69, sitting out the the final seven games with a broken nose. But Chandler will be 33 years old this season and missed 43 games in the prior two seasons combined. Len played only 42 as a rookie, largely due to ankle issues.

Sims, who is 6 feet 10 and 248 pounds with a 7-4 wingspan, would give Suns coach Jeff Hornacek another type of center for when he needs a banger. Sims is a hard worker and a high-character person who turned around his fortunes as a senior at Georgetown.

A prep star in Baltimore, Sims was ranked the 32nd-best player in his recruiting class but he was outworked and outplayed by Greg Monroe when they arrived at Georgetown together. With a more dedicated senior focus and work ethic, Sims played twice as much to average 12 points per game and show his ability as a high-post passer in the Princeton-style offense.

That change in Sims took hold four years ago and never left. A continually maturing player has proved to be a worthy backup center. Sims, even at 25, is still young in his basketball growth.

“I had late blossoming in college,” Sims said. “That year taught me a lot about myself and the game. Until the day I put the ball down, I’ll be learning.”

One decent college season did not pave an easy path and he still must earn his way once training camp starts in Flagstaff on Sept. 29. Sims went undrafted in 2012 and was a final cut that preseason in New York, where his camp teammate was Chandler.

“I learned a lot from him,” Sims said. “I absorbed everything and still use that all. I got schooled every day, whether it was playing pick-and-roll or in the post.”

Sims became a 2013 D-League All-Star and had a two-game stint in New Orleans that season. He made Cleveland's 2013 opening-night roster as a third-team center, bouncing between injury fill-in time and the D-League until he was traded to Philadelphia in the Spencer Hawes deal.

That gave Sims a chance to start the 76ers’ final 25 games of 2013-14, averaging 11.8 points and 7.0 rebounds in 27.0 minutes per game and showing how his skill and court savvy make up for average athleticism.

“I was getting up and down, shooting, making plays,” Sims said. “I was excited, like a little kid getting a shot.”

Then came 2014-15, when the Sixers opened the season 0-17. After missing a season, 2013 No. 6 pick Nerlens Noel returned, cutting into Sims’ playing time. By the end of the season, Sims’ time vanished even though his efficiency was the same as the previous season. The Sixers were taking a look at Furkan Aldemir, who appeared to be an inferior center.

Nevertheless, Sims is nothing but appreciative of the Philadelphia opportunity that established his reputation as a physical player and ideal teammate.

“Being gritty is how I made my name,” Sims said. “It’s how I earned my way. But getting up and down like they do here is something I can do. Here, the talent is off the chart. Even though they’re young guys, they’ve been in the league a while. You’ve got the head of the snake, Eric Bledsoe, making it easier -- he and B- (Brandon) Knight.

“I’ve still got tons to prove.”

The Heat Index can be reached at paul.coro@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-2470. Follow him on Twitter @paulcoro.

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