With all of the hype around the top prospects, De’Andre Hunter is a player at the back end of the lottery that would be a perfect fit with the Phoenix Suns.
Mikal Bridges has been excellent on the Phoenix Suns since being acquired in a draft day trade. His impact on both ends of the court is impressive and unmatched by any other Sun. He’s the only player with a positive on/off court impact on both offense and defense for Phoenix. Neither Devin Booker, the franchise player nor Deandre Ayton, the prized rookie, can claim that.
The Suns score 1.2 more points and give up 3.9 less points when Bridges is on the court compared to when he’s off. That kind of positive impact on both ends can’t be said about anyone else that’s suited up for Phoenix this season (other than Emanuel Terry, who played 19 more minutes than I have for the organization and is no longer on the team).
Phoenix Suns
Bridges was the 10th overall pick this past draft. He was largely overlooked because he was older (somehow senior to Booker) and played on a stacked Villanova team.
Yet, he’s the ideal 3-and-D player, sinking 44% of his threes while providing a positive defensive box plus/minus. And, thanks to that style of play, is the perfect fit for teams in the new age looking for long wings that can knock down shots.
Now comes De’Andre Hunter, who fits the same profile as Bridges. Both are 6-foot-7 with the length and athleticism to be switchable wings on defense. He’s on the older side, projected to enter the draft at the same age as Bridges at 21-years-old.
He comes from a solid program though it isn’t known for providing quality prospects the way Duke, Kentucky, and the like are. And, of course, he’s projected to be drafted at nine overall (according to ESPN), one spot ahead of where Mikal Bridges was picked.
Hunter is an exceptional 3-and-D prospect who is wholly underrated in a top heavy draft. He’s averaging 15.2 points on 57/46/80 shooting from the field. His offensive box plus/minus leads the team at 8.4 and he’s the clear lead guy for the Virginia Cavaliers, with a usage rate of 24.1%.
Hunter came into this season expecting to absorb a lead role for Virginia after establishing himself as a key sixth man. He has done just that in efficient fashion, as Roger Acker, a fellow Valley of the Suns writer, noted. He’s shooting better from the field on an increase in shots and has improved his assist percentage while seeing his turnover rate drop.
NBA writers loved his potential while he played sixth man on a talented Virginia team. Many in the NBA world saw Hunter as a sneaky prospect in the drafts to come, with an increased role. Yet, even with the buzz going into this season for the Virginia power forward, he’s still projected at the back half of the lottery.
Much of that is the result of Virginia’s team. Boring is the adjective most applied to the offense they employ, and a lot of the time it’s justified. Virginia runs a program that focuses on overall team success and not the production of NBA talent, though they do that without much trouble (hello, Malcolm Brogdon).
This is in line with Bridges and his Villanova experience. It’s why he fell further than his production or talent advocated. Its why the same might happen to Hunter. Roger Acker believes the lack of offensive creativity may mask his offensive upside and I couldn’t agree more. Hunter is the perfect prospect to buy low on and watch blossom into a legitimate third option on offense on a good team.
De’Andre Hunter would be an ideal plug and play option for any team. His offensive game translates well to the NBA. He’s getting experience creating for himself this season and is able to knock down open threes in a reserve role. Pairing his versatility on offense with his defensive prowess, Hunter is the ideal player in today’s NBA. He’d slide into this Phoenix Suns structure perfectly, as he’d fit great alongside Ayton and Booker.
On offense, Hunter would stretch the floor while Ayton handles the paint. He doesn’t need to dominate the ball with his outside shooting ability and would be a perfect third option on a team with Booker and Ayton.
Defensively, Hunter is lengthy and athletic enough to make up for some of Ayton’s deficiencies. He’d be able to venture out to the perimeter on screens and not be embarrassed by the likes of Damian Lillard and Steph Curry (as much as a big man can avoid that). He’d also be able to guard quicker fours in the vein of Draymond Green.
Hunter won’t challenge the top three in the draft. But, in a draft that lacks much pop beyond the trio of Zion, Morant, and Barrett, he is completely overlooked. His versatility would help the Suns play a lot of different ways and his age and experience in a winning program would bring much needed change to an organization looking for stability.
The Suns should already be looking towards the draft and they would be wise to not overlook Hunter.