If the Phoenix Suns jump back in the draft, they may target De’Andre Hunter

The Phoenix Suns might find themselves with a pick later than the top-five should they trade back or trade back in. De’Andre Hunter might be a legitimate target of theirs.

Virginia won the title this year largely behind their team play and defensive system but was led by a trio of go-to players in Ty Jerome, Kyle Guy, and De’Andre Hunter.

All three players provided important contributions but De’Andre Hunter has the highest NBA ceiling. Hunter’s NBA appeal is largely based on his frame and defensive upside, which are things that don’t often come through in statistics in abundance.

Never the less, we will breakdown his stats to see what stands out.

The one number we can bank on is Hunter’s frame which is his 6’7 height combined with a 7’2 wingspan.

His length and frame are critical to his NBA upside, as he has the prototypical NBA 3-and D wing build – which he applied well at UVA.

Hunter was a top-level defender not only within UVA’s system positional, rotating well and helping correct, but also while guarding on-ball at both the perimeter and in the post.

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Hunter’s blocks and steals don’t jump off the page, but this shouldn’t be taken as an indicator of poor defensive play.

Hunter’s focus defensively is less on highlight plays and more on being solid and stout at all times and he does this well.

Offensively, Hunter posted a 61.8% true shooting, and shot nearly 44% from 3 this past season while also keeping his turnover rate low at 11.8%.

Now, it is important to note that Hunter had a lower usage rate of 23.8% which posted his ability to be efficient due to his lower volume of shots and possessions used. But his skills are solid for the role he will have in the NBA as his ability to hit spot-up is good and he has improved his shot creation with a set of moves that he can to consistently but the skill set is not super deep.

Hunter is not without his weakness though and he lacks elite quickness hurting him both offensively and defensively which could be a major exploitable weakness in the league.

He too lacks explosiveness which is seen in his low steal and block number defensively but also is seen with his being a below the rim playmaker/finisher.

Hunter tends to be a ball stopper on offense and is merely an average passer while lacking a great feel for the game posting an assist rate of only 13%.

Also, he has the body type and the technique to be a better rebounder than he is, posting offensive and defensive rebound rates of 5.6% and 13.4% respectively, meaning that in order to become a true impact player in the NBA, he’ll have to work hard on that part of his game.

Hunter’s upside is based entirely around his 3-and potential. He is extremely similar to Mikal Bridges is both body type, strengths, weaknesses, and play style.

Hunter has everything it takes to contribute as a solid NBA role player in the mold of a Jae Crowder type but his limited ceiling is something to note, and should be a player who the Phoenix Suns target should they find themselves in a position to draft him.