In a league where every draft pick is a crap shoot regardless of the position they were taken, second round picks tend to receive even more attention than many firsts because of the opportunity to steal an impact player late, one overlooked by the rest of the league at least once.
In recent years, the value of second round picks have become even higher than any other point in NBA history as the number of impact players that have been found late have seemingly jumped (see Nikola Jokić and Draymond Green), therefore the desire of drafting two impact players (if a team landed on a gem in the first round) is that much more invigorating, especially when the skill-set of a particular second round pick so closely matches what the game is built around today.
When General Manager Ryan McDonough passed up on several more popular, or at least fan-favorite, names when he selected Davon Reed 32nd overall (specifically Frank Mason III, Ivan Rabb, and Jordan Bell), many fans were curious and even skeptical. However, the positive signs of Reed’s game not only fit perfectly with the style that the Phoenix Suns are attempting to build, but also the mold of the current SG/SF the league as a whole values.
Phoenix Suns
A prototypical swingman at 6’6″ and 206lbs with a Shawn Marion-esque ability to play (and guard) either the 2 or the 3 in the NBA, Reed is a player valued for his 3 and D skills (he was a 39.4% 3-point shooter in four years at Miami of Florida who also was a dog on defense) McDonough dreamt of adding a long, versatile player to perform behind Devon Booker – if not on occasion alongside – the kind of player that can give fits to opponents on both ends of the court, taking pressure off of Devin Booker – on both ends of the court – as well.
It was this vision, and the dream of finding that second round diamond in the rough, that was so disappointingly shelved when Reed went down with a torn right meniscus in August, cutting out the approximately first five months of his career. Reed, the Suns, and their fans, would all have to wait.
Until now.
On Sunday the 14th of January, Davon Reed finally made his NBA debut after several weeks building himself back into game shape with the Northern Arizona Suns of the G League.
Even with early foul trouble to Devin Booker, Head Coach Jay Triano left Reed on the bench until the 4:50 mark of the fourth quarter, with the game squarely out of hand.
Less than a minute into his first action, Reed attempted his first NBA shot, an off-balance 3-pointer that caromed off, then moments later got his second attempt, a driving layup that was blocked by Ike Anigbogu with :42.9 remaining.
All-in-all, his statline was a modest 0pts, 1rb, 0ast, 1pf, and +7 in 4:50, but his feet are now wet. Receiving his first minutes of league action in a blowout loss, Reed now only has upwards to build. The not quite so athletic rookie with a will to prove himself surpassed by no one, Reed will likely now find himself in action with regularity, in exactly that 3 and D role that he was drafted to fill.
Next: Phoenix Suns Scouting: DeAndre Ayton
At this moment there is no ceiling to what he can grow to become, and hopefully with good health, a good teaching head coach, and multiple veterans eager to assist in his learning and growth, Davon Reed will ultimately be the diamond in the rough that franchises dream about, and his underwhelming debut will be a single blip on his way to a long and successful career with the Phoenix Suns.