His fit with the Phoenix Suns
I know. Drafting Culver doesn’t necessary help the logjam of wings that the Phoenix Suns have stockpiled over their years of drafting, but this prospect feels different.
With T.J. Warren surrounded by trade rumors and Josh Jackson doing most of his slashing and off-ball movement with handcuffs on, the window is open to insert Culver as a versatile contributor to a struggling franchise.
Jarrett Culver said that @CoachBeardTTU @TexasTechMBB and assistant Mark Adams got him to take pride in defense, something that will help him in the NBA. @NBATV @ALaForce
— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) May 14, 2019
Phoenix and new head coach Monty Williams will have opportunities to get creative with Culver, potentially inserting him in the backcourt alongside Devin Booker to create a special kind of length that smaller opposing guards will have to heavily adjust to.
Williams can also pair him up with standout youngster Mikal Bridges to form a fearsome defensive duo that can dramatically improve an area of the floor that was second-to-last in the league for the Suns last season, according to NBA Advanced Stats.
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Wherever you place Culver, he has the savviness and the basketball smarts to make the right play at the right time. He plays exceptionally hard, diving for loose balls, hustling back on defense and fighting for rebounds, providing a spark and an energy that the Suns desperately need on their squad.
Think P.J. Tucker, but without hiding in the far corner on the offensive end.
The Bottom Line
Culver is a highly-touted prospect for good reason.
He is a jack-of-all-trades that can fit seamlessly on any team looking for a secondary playmaker who has room to grow into a two-way All-Star down the road.
On too many occasions last season, the Suns offense looked stagnant, with defenses specifically honing in on preventing a Booker onslaught – disregarding other players on the floor as non-threats.
If Phoenix plans on incorporating more ball-movement into their offensive gameplan, like Monty suggests, Culver is the perfect player to be an additional ball handler who has the skill set to create his own shot and the creativity to get everybody involved.
If the Lakers elect to go point guard with the fourth pick in the draft and the Cavaliers look elsewhere, the Suns could have Culver fall right into their lap, and even with glaring holes at point guard and power forward, he might be too tantalizing to pass up.