The Phoenix Suns have a lot of uncertainty at the power forward position entering the 2015-16 season because of Markieff Morris. The Suns continue to say that they expect Morris to be their starting power forward going into the season but that is far from a certainty. Someone who might help fill a potential void left by Morris is Mirza Teletovic the former Brooklyn Nets forward. Teletovic missed a lot of time last year after blood clots were found in his lungs but he is now full healthy and ready to roll this season, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
While Teletovic was playing last season he felt himself get winded much sooner than he was used to but he just assumed it was because of his conditioning. It wasn't until a game in Los Angeles when Teletovic couldn't take it anymore and saw a doctor who said his lungs were only at 30 percent capacity. Teletovic's life was in danger, never mind his basketball career, and he was still playing basketball but he has since gotten his lungs back to full strength. Teletovic can only imagine the possibilities now that he is fully healthy.
"The hunger for basketball for me right now is unbelievable; it's like a new beginning. I want to play with high energy and passion. It's important for me to prove to everybody that it's me. Imagine me playing now with my lungs at 100 percent," said Teletovic.
Teletovic did come back at the end of last season for three playoff games with the Nets but he only played 16 minutes in those three games so his conditioning has yet to be tested in game action. Teletovic says he is happier than ever and thinks that he is setup for a great year in his first season with the Suns after facing all of that adversity.
Teletovic spent his first three NBA seasons in Brooklyn before signing a one year $5.5 million deal with the Suns this offseason. For his career the 30 year old Bosnian has averaged 7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while making 36 percent of his three pointers. Teletovic's shooting numbers were down last season but that is completely understandable when you consider what his condition was. Now Teletovic is fully healthy and should be able to get back to the 2013-14 version of himself that made 39 percent of his threes and stretch the floor for a Suns team with high hopes.
