J.P. Tokoto: Phoenix Suns 2015 Draft Profile

Weaknesses

The reason this potentially elite defender is a second round prospect is that his offense could be described as a bit of a fixer-upper, and even that’s being generous. During three years at North Carolina, Tokoto hit a grand total of 21 three-pointers. In the pace-and-space era, that won’t be acceptable from a 2 OR a 3 at the next level, even if he’s only playing spot minutes.

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Tokoto converted 37.5 percent of his threes in his junior season, but he only attempted 32 of them for the whole year. He’s a bit too streaky to be trusted and his slow-release jump shot will need to drastically improve for him to be anything more than a poor man’s Tony Allen.

Though he’s athletic, Tokoto also needs work with his ball handling. He has the speed to blow by his man, but improving his handles would make that battle a lot easier, especially since he doesn’t really create his own offense as it is (8.3 points per game last season). If you need any more indication that his jump shot needs work, just check his 61.5 percent free throw shooting.

Finally, the only thing that could prevent J.P. Tokoto from realizing his full potential on the defensive end is his frame. At 196 pounds, Tokoto will need to bulk up and add strength to avoid being taken advantage of by small forwards in the post. He’ll be able to hold his ground against 2-guards, but if teams want to maximize that versatility, getting stronger is a must.

Next: Potential Fit