In the new, modern NBA, stretch-4s have become a premium. The value of legit 7’0″ big men who can be used as threats on the perimeter and utilize their length on the defensive end is at an all-time high.
Fortunately for the Phoenix Suns, they may not have to look very far for that player. Enter Alec Brown, a 7’1″, 22-year-old originally drafted by the team with the 50th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
After committing to play at Green Bay University in 2010, Brown was a non-factor in his first two seasons before refining his game and becoming a force as a junior and senior, shooting 42 percent from three and winning his conference’s Defensive Player of the Year Award his senior season (3.1 blocks per game).
He carried his sharpshooting over to the 2014 NBA Draft Combine, where he shot 18-for-25 in a three-point shooting drill.
Upon being drafted, Brown joined the Suns Summer League team as a potential dark horse to become the replacement for Channing Frye. Those plans were put on hold after Brown suffered a left shoulder injury in the final Summer League game, an injury that required surgery last July.
After a long and thorough rehabbing of his shoulder, Brown stepped on the floor for the Bakersfield Jam (the Suns’ D-League Affiliate) on Feb. 17 against the Los Angeles D-Fenders, registering six points and five blocks in 12 minutes of play.
In his next 17 games with the Jam, Brown averaged 6.8 points per game on 34 percent shooting from behind the arc while also grabbing 3.4 rebounds a game.
While these numbers are not jaw-dropping by any means, it should be noted Brown joined the team in midseason after not having played an actual basketball game in six months. And when he started to finally find his groove, the season was nearly over.
However, Suns fans saw a glimpse of how solid a player he can be in the Jam’s playoff victory against the San Antonio Spurs’ D-League Affiliate.
Now with a full offseason to work out and build on his slender 235-pound frame, not to mention another NBA Summer League experience with Phoenix, Brown and the Suns are hoping he can fulfill the potential they saw when they drafted him.
“I know I have the shot,” Brown told Arizonasports.com last summer. “Even if it’s not falling down here, I know I can shoot it, they know I can shoot it.”
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Whether his role be that of Channing Frye or not, Brown has clearly gotten the message from the Suns: he is expected to stretch the floor and always be ready to let it fly.
“I don’t want to say like Channing, but there are some similarities there,” Suns Summer League head coach, Mike Longabardi told Arizonasports.com upon drafting Brown. “If you come in and pull-in on the roll, then Alec is going to get an open shot. That’s why I told him ‘be ready to shoot.'”
While his ability to shoot is what has made Brown such an intriguing player, his impact blocking shots CANNOT be understated. Playing the fourth fewest minutes on the Jam last season, Brown led the team with 2.0 blocks per game, showing a paint presence that the Suns sorely lacked at their power forward position all of last year.
With Alex Len already in place as the Suns starting center for the next 10 years, the addition of another shot-altering paint presence would tremendously help Phoenix in their chase for the playoffs and more.
Just think for a moment about the potential impact of a consistent Alec Brown…The paint would be seriously opened for Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, as opposing power forwards would be lured out to the three-point line to check Brown. Bledsoe would have a true stretch-4 to run deadly pick and pops with, making defenders think twice about doubling him off the screen, opening up even more offensive opportunities for Bledsoe.
On defense, opposing guards would drive into the paint and be met by two legitimate seven-footers in Len and Brown.
Of course, Brown will not be in the starting lineup by any means. But if he is able to show improvement on his post game and bring in the same shooting and shot-blocking skills that made him such an intriguing prospect last year, then the Suns might have something.
More important than anything, if Brown is able to come on strong, he makes the troubled Morris twins very expendable. With their pending felony aggravated assault case, the Suns have to at least listen to any offers they receive for the Morrii.
And you would think they would be more than willing to deal the twins away if they felt comfortable with Brown and say, a newly drafted Frank Kaminsky, moving forward as their stretch-4s.
The Suns have many compelling storylines this offseason and Brown’s development might be one of the most important ones. You just don’t know it yet.
“I think I can fill a role on this team,” Brown said. “We will just see how it goes.”
Next: Stanley Johnson: Phoenix Suns 2015 Draft Profile