The Phoenix Suns shouldn’t worry too much about solidifying the wing depth, however there are several former players that could help the club sure it up.
In regards to the wing positions, the Phoenix Suns should solidify the back end depth at this point of the rebuild. With players like Devin Booker, Josh Jackson and T.J. Warren, Suns need solid veterans that can help in a pinch if a unwanted injury occurs. Recently I wrote about how former Suns playmakers that could help the club out at the point guard position and there are a handful of former Suns perimeter players that could help at either wing position as well.
Wesley Johnson would have been included on this list however, he opted into the last year of his deal with the Los Angeles Clippers and won’t be a free agent this offseason.
No. 5
After being waived by the Suns early in the regular season, Derrick Jones Jr. still can become a part of the Suns future. The down part about adding the restricted free agent is he has limited NBA experience and may not be able to perform consistently if called upon. The positive is that he’s the most raw prospect on these rankings and has plenty of room for improvement.
| Season | Age | Tm | Pos | G | GS | MP | FG% | 3P% | 2P% | eFG% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 19 | PHO | SF | 32 | 8 | 17.0 | .562 | .273 | .591 | .574 | .707 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 5.3 |
| 2017-18 | 20 | TOT | SF | 20 | 8 | 12.3 | .396 | .167 | .514 | .425 | .667 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 3.1 |
| 2017-18 | 20 | PHO | SF | 6 | 0 | 5.5 | .500 | .000 | 1.000 | .500 | .833 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1.5 |
| 2017-18 | 20 | MIA | SF | 14 | 8 | 15.1 | .388 | .188 | .485 | .418 | .611 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 3.7 |
| Career | 52 | 16 | 15.2 | .511 | .207 | .572 | .529 | .692 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 4.4 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/5/2018.
There’s no doubt he still has plenty to prove and improve upon before he could be considered a part of the franchise’s long term plans, but he’s an athlete that’s only in his very early 20’s.
No. 4
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Former All-Star Joe Johnson could be the stabilizing veteran voice young players like Booker and Jackson need to hear constantly. In his four season with the Suns, Johnson averaged 14.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 39.3 percent from the 3-point line. Sadly, Johnson can’t produce those numbers anymore and at 36-years-old has averaged a career low in points and 3-point shooting percentage. While unrestricted free agent Johnson may be a good voice in the locker room, it’s unclear if he could help the team’s play while on the court.
No. 3
While Vince Carter is even older than Johnson, he’s proven to be a better contributor off the bench. Carter averaged 5.4 points and shot 34.5 percent from downtown this past season with the Sacramento Kings. While it’s hard to believe that the former All-Star can still summon any of his legendary ups, he still did this past season.
In the unrestricted free agent‘s brief stint with the Suns, he averaged 13.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and1.6 assists while shooting 36.6 percent from behind the arc. Like Johnson, Carter would be a solid veteran voice for the club, but he could be a slightly better player than Johnson at this point in their careers.
No. 2
In the past, I wrote about how Gerald Green will be an underrated veteran free agent this summer. This past season with Houston Rockets, Green averaged 12.1 points and 36.9 percent from 3-point land. While Green is a veteran he’s only in his early 30’s compared to the older Carter and Johnson. Which means the unrestricted free agent could be an effective contributor for multiple seasons for the Suns.
No. 1
While Seth Curry is ranked number one on this list, he’s also the one player that may have the most questions marks surrounding him. Curry didn’t play this past season due to a leg injury. However, Curry played very well in the 2016-17 season with the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 12.8 points and shot 42.5 from behind the arc. If Curry can return to that level of play then the Suns’ have the ultimate reserve for Booker. While the unrestricted free agent‘s first stint was a forgettable two games, he could be very valuable to the squad if signed this summer.
Next: Igor Kokoskov may make Crawford a FA target
Each of these players have attributes that can add extra depth at either wing position for the Phoenix Suns. While wing depth isn’t a top priority for the franchise, it’s something the Suns still need to address this summer.