Per multiple reports, the Phoenix Suns and Tyson Chandler have reached a buyout agreement on the final $13.6 million left on his four year deal. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN further reported, Chandler plans to sign a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Compton native returns home, providing a backup center for the Lakers and a veteran presence in the locker room.

In Saturday’s home loss to the Toronto Raptors, Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov elected to insert Richaun Holmes into the lineup as the backup center over Chandler. Holmes young legs and energy was a bright spot for the Suns looking to find a spark in the midst of this seven-game losing streak.

The 36 year-old Chandler had seemed to lose a step towards the end of last season. The former defensive player of the year in 2012 graded out with B- grade (64th percentile) in interior defense among centers who played a minimum of 1000 minutes last season, per the BBall Index database.

Offensively, Chandler always brought the ability to be an elite lob threat and finisher in the paint. Last season Chandler, ranked in the 78th percentile in finishing among centers. Early this season many of those same struggles continued.

Chandler’s departure opens up minutes for another high energy big in Richaun Holmes. Holmes graded out in the 91st percentile in finishing last season among centers. Holmes should provide the ability to be a solid PnR partner for Devin Booker and the other Suns guards this season.

The Tyson Chandler in Phoenix has finally come to end. An era that had maybe too much patience from both management and Chandler – expecting wins to come sooner rather than later. In the end the inevitable happened. Both sides move forward.  Best of luck to TC, in the purple and gold.

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