Valley of the Suns
Fansided

Way too early predictions for the 2018-19 Phoenix Suns

By Adam Maynes

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 03: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns sets the play against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on January 3, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JANUARY 03: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns sets the play against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on January 3, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JANUARY 24: TJ Warren #12 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during a game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on January 24, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pacers won 116-101. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JANUARY 24: TJ Warren #12 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during a game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on January 24, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pacers won 116-101. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

T.J. Warren

T.J. Warren has grown into the second best pure scorer on the roster. He doesn’t have an outside shot and he’s not a flashy dunker, but he is the best slasher the Phoenix Suns have and as a point-a-minute kind of scorer, will be a tremendous asset off of the bench.

That is presuming that he comes off the bench which has come into question since Josh Jackson’s poor Summer showing.

More of a hope and less of a prediction, I believe that Warren will improve upon his outside shooting this summer and finish next season as at least a 33% 3-point shooter. Not that great of a percentage, but certainly a significant improvement. He understands that to be taken seriously in the NBA as a scorer, he has to be able to score not only as a slasher but as from the outside, something that he will hopefully take to heart.

That said, after two years of predicting that he will win the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year award, my bold prediction is that he will win the NBA’s 6th Man of the Year, becoming the fifth Sun to do so and first since Leandro Barbosa in 2006-07.

Coming off the bench will be perfect for Warren since he is such a natural scorer. He’ll be able to feast on lesser defenses and score with a greater ease than he had been in the starting lineup.

His scoring average will suffer a little, but I predict that he’ll still average at least 17 points per game off the bench, a tremendous boost for the team overall.

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